Each Department's first place winner receives an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., plus the opportunity to compete for national scholarships. The first place national winner receives a $25,000 scholarship. All national scholarships are paid directly to the American university, college or vocational/technical school as selected by the recipient.

All scholarship funding is held at National Headquarters in escrow for ten years from high school graduation. The funds, which are disbursed as needed may be used for tuition, books, laboratory fees or other items relating specifically to the student's formal education. Clothing, room and board and pocket money are not considered authorized expenditures.

Voice of Democracy

2006-2007 Theme
"Freedom's Challenge"*
Entry Deadline
Nov. 1, 2006

Created in 1947, the Voice of Democracy (VOD) scholarship program is an audio-essay contest for high school students in grades 9-12 that annually provides more than $3 million in scholarships. The first-place winner, who competes with all the first-place VFW Department winners, receives a $30,000 scholarship that is paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school.

Besides competing for the top scholarship prize, as well as other national scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $16,000, each Department's first-place winner receives an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by Target.

The VOD program is endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals' contest criteria and is designed to foster patriotism by allowing students the opportunity to voice their opinion in a three to five minute essay based on an annual theme.

Patriots Pen

2006-2007 Theme
"Citizenship in America*"
Entry Deadline
Nov. 1, 2006

Patriot's Pen, a youth-essay writing contest endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals' contest criteria, is a nationwide competition that gives students in grades 6,7 and 8 the opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy. Annually, more than 115,000 students participate in the contest.

Contestants write a 300-400 word essay based on an annual patriotic theme. The first-place winner receives a $10,000 savings bond and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. The top national winners each receive a savings bond anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.

How to Enter:
Students can enter by submitting the required entry form, along with their essay and recording to VFW Post 1503. For entry form, click here. Mail entry form and audio essay to 14631 Minnieville Road, Dale City, Virginia 22193. Further directions are listed on the entry form.

For more information or questions, contact  Chairman Stan Hunter @ (703) 670-9084, Vic Pollucci @ (703) 670-7269 or Larry Pogue @ (571) 229-2055. or VFW National Headquarters.

*Historically, the theme (annually chosen by the VFW commander-in-chief) is purposely kept broad in scope to allow the participant flexibility in interpretation to encourage originality. Since the VFW is a patriotic organization, the annual theme always will be related to patriotism. To get an idea how to weave the patriotic theme with original thoughts, click here to listen to last year’s first-place winning essay based on "How I Demonstrate My Freedom."