Voice of Democracy 2024-25: "Is America Today Our Forefathers' Vision?"

The Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars premier scholarship program since 1947, 9th through 12th grade students compete for more than $2.3 million in college scholarships and awards by writing and recording a broadcast script on a patriotic theme. The 54 Department winners visit Washington, D.C. and divide a total of $146,000 in scholarships, the largest of which is $30,000.

Who can enter?
The competition is open to students in grades 9-12, who are enrolled in a public, private, parochial high school or a home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or in an overseas U.S. military/civilian dependent school. Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or over and previous Voice of Democracy first place state winners are ineligible.

What do students need to enter?  Entry Form
Record your original 3-5 minute (+ or – 5 seconds max.) audio essay and submit the recording, typed essay and completed entry form to VFW Post 101 for judging. You must be the sole author of your essay. The recording must be in your own voice and in English. Hearing/speech impaired students should email the Voice of Democracy National Office at youthscholarships@vfw.org for special instructions. No music, singing, poetry or sound effects are allowed. The body of the essay must not identify you in any way, (including, but not limited to, your name, school, city, state, race or national origin) although the recording and typed essay should be labeled with your name, to show ownership. You may enter only one competition at one Post (if otherwise eligible) per year. At any time during the contest, additional participant personal information could be requested by the VFW, including but not limited to a photograph, SSN or biographical information.

What is the entry deadline?

All entries must be in the hands of VFW Post 101 by midnight, October 31st 2024.

Patriot's Pen is a VFW sponsored youth essay competition that gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy with the prospect of winning U.S. savings bonds. Students compete at Post, District, State and National levels. The top 35 National winners all receive at least a $1,000 savings bond. The first-place award is currently a $10,000 savings bond, plus an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and a parent or guardian.  

Who can enter? 

Patriot’s Pen is open to 6th-, 7th- and 8th-grade students enrolled by the Oct. 31 deadline in public, private or parochial schools in the U.S., its territories or its possessions. Home-schooled students also are eligible. Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (the application for which has not been denied) and intends to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law. Dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools can participate, too. (Foreign exchange students and former winners that placed in the National contest are excluded from the contest.)

What do students need to do to enter?     Entry Form

All essays should be typed in English with no color or graphics and cannot be less than 300 words or greater than 400 words in length. (Essays under or over these word amounts will be eliminated. Every word is counted regardless of length. The essay title (theme) or added footnotes do not contribute to the word count. At any time during the contest additional participant personal information (i.e. SSN, photo, etc.) could be requested by the VFW.

In no way may contestants identify themselves within their essay (including, but not limited to, your name, school, city, state, race or national origin.) Do not put your name on your essay. The entry form is your essay’s cover sheet. Secure the Official Student Entry Form with a staple or other fastener on top of your essay. Contestants are allowed to enter only once each year if otherwise eligible (one Post competition). Contestants found in violation of this rule will face elimination from the competition and will be required to return any and all prize money awarded or received.

The essay must be a contestant’s original work and a product of the contestant’s own thinking. The approach to the Patriot’s Pen theme should be positive and clearly focused. Poetry is not acceptable. Quotations may be used sparingly if plainly identified wherever used. A contestant’s teacher, counselor or parent may check the essay for punctuation, grammar and/or spelling, but the content must remain the contestant’s. Contestants will be judged on the basis of their essay alone and are not required to present the essay orally. All essays become the property of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The VFW retain non-exclusive rights to use your essay and likeness in the promotion and execution of the organization’s programs and activities.

What is the entry deadline? 

All entries must be in the hands of VFW Post 101 by midnight, October 31st 2024.

Annually the Veterans of Foreign Wars recognizes Eagle Scouts, Girl Scout Gold Award, Venture Silver Award recipients or Sea Scout Quartermasters who have risen above their peers in exemplifying the exceptional qualities of that rank with a $5,000 scholarship. Candidates must be exceptional in all six of the critical elements of healthy youth development as defined by The Louis Harris & Associates, Inc.  

Who can enter? 

Scouts who are registered, active members of a Scout Troop, Venturing Crew, or a Sea Scout Ship who have received the Eagle Scout Award, Gold Award, Venture Silver Award, or Sea Scout Quartermaster Award.  Scouts must be 15 years of age and have demonstrated practical citizenship in school, scouting, and the community.  Scouts must be enrolled in high school at the time of selection (applicants still in high school who reach their 18th birthday during the nomination year remain eligible if otherwise qualified).  

How the contest works 

Local VFW Posts select one winner from the entries received. Posts then submit their local winner to their respective VFW Department (state) by April 1. From there, the Department selects a winner and forwards the entry to the VFW National Headquarters by May 1 for national-level judging. Colorado department winners are recognized at the State VFW Convention held in June.  

How to enter     Entry Form

Scouts submit the completed VFW Scouting Scholarship from below, resume of high school activities, scouting record, community service record, and letters of recommendation to Colorado Springs VFW Post 101 no later than March 1. 

The VFW has entered into a cooperative effort with the Boy Scouts of America to encourage its Posts to organize Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, and Venturing crews. To further this effort, the VFW National Headquarters offers Wood Badge training scholarships to assist selected chapter members in acquiring skills that will better equip them to serve the youth of their communities. Members-at-large and retirees can qualify by being sponsored by the nearest VFW Post in their area.

Applicants must be VFW or VFW Auxiliary members in good standing.

How to enter     Entry Form

Complete the application and secure official approval and authorization from the VFW Post 101 Commander or VFW Post 101 Auxiliary President and the local council Scout executive. From your local council Scout executive, obtain the dates and location of Wood Badge courses and enter days and locations of the course you select.

Each year, more than 4,000 high school students from across the country participate in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. The contest began in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth. View the 2019-2020 state winners or all the previous first-place national winners.

Who can enter? 

Students in grades 9-12 by the March 31 deadline who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools. Student must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national. Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or older, GED and adult education students, or national winners of previous Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contests are ineligible.

How to enter:    Entry Form

Entry must be completed during the current school year. Complete contest application and attach to back of the entry. Also attach a typed explanation of the entry (250 words or less). Teacher or supervisory adult signature required on contest application. If the American Flag is used, it must conform to the Federal Flag Code in relation to colors, number of stars and stripes and other pertinent rules of the code.

What is the entry deadline?

Entry must be submitted to Colorado Springs VFW Post 101 no later than March 31st 2025. 

Digital art, photography and jewelry are NOT ACCEPTED 

A patriotic art contest for elementary and middle/junior high school students that encourages students’ artistic abilities and rewards their hard work. It’s fun to see how our youth see the world through their drawings and paintings.

• The contest consists of three grade divisions: K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. There is one National winner in each grade division, with awards for first, second and third place in each grade division.

How to enter    Entry Form

Entry must be submitted with completed entry form to VFW Post 101 Auxiliary by midnight on 31 March 2025.