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POLK COUNTY—Leah Morton, a 10th-grade student at Polk County High School, has been named the District 16 winner of the Voice of Democracy Essay Contest, an annual audio-essay competition sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Morton completed the essay as part of an assignment in her Honors Civics Literacy class last semester, taught by Jenny Wolfe. Her essay was submitted to VFW Post 10349, which advanced it to district-level competition.

The Voice of Democracy program, established in 1947, is open to high school students nationwide in grades 9 through 12. Each year, approximately 25,000 students participate, addressing a theme chosen to inspire critical thinking about democracy and civic responsibility. This year’s theme was, “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”

Morton will now compete for the state title, which will be announced on February 1 during a banquet in Greensboro. The state winner will advance to the national level, where they will represent North Carolina at an event in Washington, D.C., in March. The national winner will receive a $35,000 scholarship to fund higher education.

The Voice of Democracy contest provides students with an opportunity to express their views on democracy while competing for scholarships and recognition at local, state, and national levels.