Patriots pen 2022-2023
The annual VFW Patriot's Pen completion is for students living within 50 miles of Brainerd, MN. It is writing a 300-to-400-word essay from students in grades 6 - 8. The theme for the 2022-2023 competition is, "My Pledge to Our Veterans." The entry deadline was October 31, 2022. Local prizes are $100.00, 150.00 and $200.00. Winners move on to district, state and national competition where $55,000 in prizes are given by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
My Pledge to Our Veterans
(l-r) Bill Satre interviewing Mark Persons on B93.3 and Cool 103 Radio on 09/26/2022
America was founded on the belief that all people are created equal and that each person has the right to freedoms. Some American ideals are democracy, liberty, opportunity, and equality. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, " is engraved on the Statue of Liberty. Americans are compassionate, helpful, caring, and want good for all people. By using these American ideals of equality, serving others, and
persistence, I can be a good American.
April 1, 2021: The 2020-2021 theme was "What is Patriotism to me?" The first place national VFW Patriot Pen winner was Wyatt Perkins, from Maryville, North Dakota. He was awarded $5,000. Fourth place was Julianna Stacey, from Long Prairie, MN. Her prize was $2,750. She placed fourth in national competition.
Patriotism to me is being proud to be a part of a country. For example, I'm proud to live in The United States of America where we get to choose who leads us and where we get to live freely. We have brave men and woman who fight for us and this is when you know you have something good. That is something that people are willing to fight and die for. Another privilege is the ability to do what we want. We are given so many rights in this country that people take for granted. Even the content of the newspaper is a gift granted by our government that a lot of countries don’t enjoy. We live in a place where we get to decide what we do with our life and it isn’t controlled by other people. That to me is patriotism. To be free and still use that freedom to love your country as citizens. A third privilege is that there are men and woman in foreign lands that put their lives on the line to protect all citizens rights. They constantly put themselves in danger for us. I’m honored to live in a country that is so
good people are willing to die for it. When we are trying to be stopped from freeing people and letting everyone be equals, we still fight back no matter what. All this is patriotism to me. We live in a country so great that amazing men and woman are willing to put themselves in danger and die for this nation!
January 18, 2020: Thea Bothun of Rochester, MN, was selected as the 2019-2020 MN state winner of the Patriot's Pen competition. She was very well spoken at the MN VFW Mid-Winter Conference and should do well in the future. Who won Patriot's Pen 2022?Syed Ali, an eighth grade student from Lafayette, Louisiana, was named the 2021-2022 Patriot's Pen first place winner. His essay on the theme, "How Can I Be a Good American?" won him a $5,000 award. Syed was sponsored by New Iberia, Louisiana, VFW Post 1982.
What is the Patriot's Pen about?Patriot's Pen
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.
What is the VFW Voice of Democracy?Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars' (VFW's) premier scholarship program. Each year, nearly 40,000 high school students compete for more than $2 million in scholarships and incentives. Students compete by writing and recording an audio essay on an annual patriotic theme.
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