Commander Michael Collins and President Joyce B. Preston of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the Polk County Memorial & Auxiliary US Post No. 9116, announced the kickoff of the VFW’s Voice of Democracy Scholarship competition.

Local high school students have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and a trip to Washington, D.C.

Students must write and record a three to five-minute essay on the selected theme using an audio CD  or flash drive and present their recording, typed essay and completed entry form to their local VFW Post by Oct. 31.

The 2018-19 theme selected is “Why My Vote Matters.”

Students begin by competing at the local post level, and then post winners compete at the district level, with the winner advancing to the state competition.

All state first-place winners will receive a four-day trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to compete for their share of more than $150,000 in scholarships. The first-place winner will receive a $30,000 college scholarship.

The National Association of Broadcasters started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961.

The competition was created to provide students in ninth though 12th grade the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles. Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards more than $2.1 million in annual educational scholarships.

Interested students and teachers can contact the Voice of Democracy Chairman at VFW Post & Auxiliary No. 9116 by phone to Commander Michael Collins at 864-230-9806, President Joyce B. Preston at 828-817-0939, by email at jbpreston99@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 654, Columbus, N.C. 28722 for more information.

Those interested in learning more can visit vfw.org/VOD.

– Submitted by Joyce Preston