The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) offer 3 Youth Essay Contests each year: 

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 1) the 2024-2025 Voice of Democracy (VOD) Theme is: 

"IS AMERICA TODAY OUR FOREFATHER'S VISION?"

·      Deadline when it must have been received by our Post is: October 31, 2024

·      Total Awards: $154,000

·      Top Individual National Award: $30,000

VOD is for students who will be in Grades 9-12. This contest required the student to make a recording (thumb drive) and turn it in with a typed transcript. See the contest rules (links are below). All entries submitted to VFW Post 3348 are judged by members of the Post. We pay smaller cash prizes down to 3rd place. There are 7 Posts in VFW District #2.  

The winning VOD entry (in District #2) is sent to the VFW Department of Washington (State). The student who originates the winning District #2 VOD entry is asked, along with his/her parents, to attend our VFW Mid-Winter State Conference in Yakima in mid-January 2024; all expenses paid. At this Mid-Winter State Conference, the VFW WA State winner is announced. 

District #2 honors the top 3 VOD submissions, from all 7 Posts in District #2, in early-January 2024, prior to the mid-winter State Conference. It is usually held at the Rainier VFW Post in south Seattle --- it is called our "Ice Cream Social” mainly because we provide free ice cream. This is a very popular event; students typically bring their entire family.

At our Ice Cream Social, each invited student is brought up on stage to sit with the other District winners. They are individually presented their award and are given the opportunity to read aloud their entry. I am continually blown away by the depth and beauty of what our youth write. 

Should the District #2 VOD winner also be the WA State winner, their entry is sent to National VFW. Only the student is allowed to go to Washington DC, all expenses paid, for the VFW National Convention in late July 2024. The student will be escorted to the VFW National Convention by both the WA State VFW Commander and the State VFW Auxiliary President. The student will join the VOD State winners from the other 49 States. 

Aside from attending the VFW National Convention, where the President of the United States is usually one of the speakers, the students are bused around to many of the sites in Washington D.C. From multiple reports, former VOD WA State winners report that this was a life-changing event for them.

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2) The 2024-2025 Patriot’s Pen theme is:

"MY VOICE IN AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY?" 

·       Deadline when it must have been received by our Post is: October 31, 2024

·       Total Awards: $55,000 

·       Top Individual National Award: $5,000

The Patriot’s Pen contest is for students who will be in Grades 6-8. This contest calls for the student to submit a typed essay. See the contest rules (links are below). The winning Patriot’s Pen entry in District #2 is sent to the VFW Department of Washington (State). State makes their own judgment. The 2023-2024 State winner of the Patriot's Pen contest is announced at the State Conference in Yakima in January 2024.

The top 3 Patriot’s Pen winners, from each of the 7 Posts in VFW District #2 are invited to the Ice Cream social (see above).

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3) The 2024-2025 WA State Youth Essay theme is: 

"HOW SHOULD OUR VETERANS BE TREATED?"

    ·       Deadline when it must have been received by our Post is: October 31, 2024              

    ·       Grand Prize: $100                        

The WA State Youth Essay contest is for students who will be in Grades 3-5. This contest calls for the student to submit a typed essay; they are never more than two pages. See the contest rules (links are below).

The top 3 WA State Youth Essay winners, from each of the 7 Posts in VFW District #2 are invited to the Ice Cream social (see above). 

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Links (below) are to the necessary forms that the student must complete, and for VOD a thumb drive with you reading your essay along with the written transcript.

When you are done, submit everything that is required to:

           VFW Post 3348

           PO Box 55164

           Seattle, WA 98155      

For more information:

          - Trustee, Thom Fermstad (425) 766-5987 -or-

          - Post Quartermaster, Chris Christophersen (206) 362-1657. 

Click on the Links below to see the Entry Forms.

·                  Voice of Democracy Rules and Entry Form

·                  Patriot's Pen Rules and Entry Form

·                  Youth Essay Rules and Entry Form