Local Voice of Democracy Contest Now Open
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5254 Commander Andrew Kruppa and the VFW Auxiliary President Vicki Latapie have announced the kick-off of this year’s Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition. High school students, grades 9-12 enrolled in a private, public or parochial high school or home study program in this area, have the opportunity to compete in the annual audio/essay contest and win scholarships.
Students begin by competing at their local Post level. The Post winner will advance to VFW District 28. All district winners compete in the VFW State competition. The State winner will enjoy a tour of Washington, D.C., along with the other 49 VFW State winners. The Grand Prize at the VFW National level is a $30,000 college scholarship.
The local winner will be awarded a $500 college scholarship to the college or School of his or her choice. The students win this award by writing, then recording a three-to-five minute audio/essay to enter the local VFW Post’s contest.
Cash prizes will be awarded to Second and Third Place winners. All winners will be honored at the Christmas/Awards Dinner in December at the VFW Post Hall at the Fairgrounds north of La Grange on Hwy. 77.
The 2020-2021 patriotic theme is “Is This the Country the Founders Envisioned.” The local deadline is midnight on October 31, 2020. Interested high school students in La Grange, Giddings, RT-Carmine and Fayetteville can contact their high school counselors or teachers for the entry form and rules, or contact the VFW Auxiliary chairpersons listed below to begin their research now.
Students, parents and teachers may find rules, entry forms and more information at the present time http://www.vfw.org by clicking on Programs, then click on Youth Scholarships, or http://www.vfwauxiliary.org and click on Scholarships. Parents and students may also call the Scholarship Chairpersons at the following phone numbers: Jeannie Bertsch, Scholarship Chairman, (979) 966-7409 or Barbara Brauner, Scholarship Co-Chair, (979) 224-6483.