What
Conducted nationwide, this VFW sponsored youth essay competition gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy. We invite you to join the more than 125,000 students who participated last year in this contest. The top 46 national winners all receive at least $500. The first-place award is currently $5,000, plus an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and a parent or guardian.
Big National Prizes
| 1st | $5,000 | 2nd | $4,000 |
| 3rd | $3,500 | 4th | $2,750 |
| 5th | $2,500 | 6th | $2,000 |
| 7th | $1,750 | 8-9th | $1,500 |
| 10-11th | $1,250 | 12-13h | $1,000 |
| 14-15th | $750 | 16-46th | $500 |
Enter By
To qualify, all entries must be submitted to a sponsoring VFW Post by Nov. 1, 2013.
Submit Entry
All entries begin at the Post level. The only exception is where schools/classes/youth groups have large numbers of students and wish to conduct their own competition, submitting one winner for each 15 students to the local VFW Post competition. Individual students may submit their entry directly to the Post providing they have not competed at a school/class competition.
The contest consists of four levels. The first level (entry) is sponsored by local VFW Posts. Post winners advance, one for every 15, to the VFW District (regional) level where the one first-place winner is advanced to the VFW Department (state) level. The one first-place winner at the Department level is then advanced into the VFW National competition. The winner from each Department (state) then competes for the national prizes.
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has again approved this contest for its National Advisory List of Contests and Activities.
Who Can Enter?
Open to all 6th, 7th and 8th graders who live in Tualatin, Tigard, Sherwood, Wilsonville and Lake Oswego areas.
Local prize is a $100 savings bond.
2009-10 Winner – ANIKA GIRARDI – 8TH GRADE – TUALATIN JUNIOR SCHOOL