PATRIOTS PEN

Patriot's Pen - Middle School Students

 

Each year more than 132,000 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest. The national first-place winner wins $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The first-place winner from each state competes for national awards totaling $55,000, with each first-place state winner receiving a minimum of $500 at the national level.

 

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.

 

Want to apply? Read the rules and eligibility requirements, then download and complete the entry form. All student entries must be submitted to a sponsoring local VFW Post by midnight, Oct. 31.

 

The 2023-24 theme is: 
"What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy?"

The essays can be mailed to --VFW Essay, PO Box 1123, Tracy, Ca 95376
or you may bring in person to the VFW Post 1537 meeting @ 6:45pm, every 3rd Thursday in Civic Center Building, by the War Memorial.
      
 950 East St, Tracy, CA 95376

Phone #'s to contact:
Essay Chairman- Don Burnett--209-815-8860
or
Bob Carpenter- Post Commander 209-832-1408
    
    Please proofread the essay to make sure any rules are not advertently broken. If an essay is submitted ahead of time & we see something wrong, we will contact & give the chance to correct but Oct.31st midnight is the deadline for it to be at the Post.