The Patriot’s Pen
Sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars
Eligibility:Public, Private, Charter, Other (including homeschool, 501 (c)(3) organizations)
Award(s):The national first-place winner receives $5,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC. The top 54 national winners all receive awards ranging from $500 to $4,000.
Deadline(s):Applications are due October 31, 2018.
Focus:Journalism, Library/Media, Literacy, PreK-12
Grade Level(s):6-8
Content Area(s):Reading/English/Language Arts, Social Studies/Sciences
State(s):National
Contact:VFW National Headquarters
406 W. 34th St.
Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone: 816.756.3390 ext. 6117
Email: youthscholarships@vfw.org
Description:The annual Patriot’s Pen essay contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), involves writing an essay of between 300 and 400 words on a theme and submitting it to a local participating VFW Post. The contest is open to students in grades 6 through 8 enrolled in a public, private, or parochial school or home study program in the United States or its territories. The current theme is, “Why I Honor the American Flag.” Previous themes were “America’s Gift to My Generation,” “Why I Appreciate America’s Veterans,” “What Freedom Means to Me.” Essays are judged on knowledge of the theme, theme development, and clarity of ideas.
Essays must be the contestant’s original work; however, a teacher, counselor, or parent may check the essay for punctuation, grammar, or spelling, as long as the content remains the contestant’s. The completed essay must be submitted along with an application (entry form) to a sponsoring local VFW Post by midnight on the deadline date. Specific essay guidelines and the downloadable application are available on the website.