Students may compete for VFW scholarships

NEWTON FALLS

Raymond Hanzes, commander of VFW Post 3332, and Bobbi Jo Stiltner, auxiliary president, announce the two categories and regulations for this year’s scholarship competitions.

Voice of Democracy: Local high school students in grades nine-12 are invited to compete in the annual audio essay competition by submitting entries at the local post by Nov. 1.

Students compete by writing and recording a three-to-five minute audio/essay expressing their views on the patriotic theme “Does My Generation Have a Role in America’s Future?”

Winners of the post level advance to district then state competition. The state winner will receive a four-day tour of Washington, D.C., at least a $1,000 national scholarship, and have a chance to win the $25,000 first-place award.

Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest: This competition gives students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades an opportunity to express their opinions on a patriotic theme and to improve their writing skills while competing for awards and prizes.

Their theme this year will be “Does Patriotism Still Matter?” Entries for the Patriot’s Pen contest must be postmarked by Nov. 1, be typewritten in English with no color or graphics, must be 300 to 400 words in length and contain no personal identification.

For more information interested students and teachers should contact Wanda Thompson, Voice of Democracy auxiliary chairman for Post 3332 at 330-219-2969, or the post at 330-872-7318, or visit www.vfw.org.