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            Each year, the VFW Post 51 and the Ladies Auxiliary sponsor two scholarship contests at the
			Post level. The scholarship contests are the
			Patriot's Pen  and 
			Voice of Democracy (VOD) 
			The winning entries of these contests move up to the District Level for further judging.
			The two contests are detailed below. To view the transcripts of the 2011-2012 VFW Post 51 winning
			entries, see the links to the left under the section header.
          
 
 
          
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                  Patriot's Pen
                 
                  2012-2013 Theme:
 "What I Would Tell America’s
 Founding Fathers.”
 
 Entry Deadline:
 November 1, 2012
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                  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
                  annual 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.
                   
                   For more information and entry form, visit:
				   Patriot's Pen - National
                  VFW Website
 Top of page
 
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                  Voice of Democracy
                 
                  2012-2013 Theme:
 "“Is Our Constitution Still Relevant?”
 
 Entry Deadline:
 November 1, 2012
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                  The Voice of Democracy, endorsed by the National Association of Secondary
                  School Principals' contest criteria, is an audio essay contest for high school students
                  in grades 9-12. The annual contest, which is designed to foster patriotism,
                  allows students the opportunity to voice their opinion in a three to five minute essay
                  based on an annual theme. 
                  Created in 1947, the scholarship program annually provides more than $3 million
                  in scholarships. 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 $30,000 scholarship.
                   
                   For more information and entry form, visit:
				   Voice of Democracy - National VFW Website |  Top of page
 
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