VFW, Auxiliary offer variety of programs for area students

Veterans of Foreign Wars Carroll P. Foster Post No. 3455 and its Auxiliary in Anna sponsor many programs for school age children.  

All of the information has been taken to the Union County schools.  

The VFW and Auxiliary noted that if a child has not received the information, they might want to check with the school counselors and see who has the information available for them.

Information about the programs follows:

Essay Contest

The essay contest is for students in grades 4-5. The essay should be typed or legibly written in black ink. 

The essay will require a cover sheet listing the student’s name and school, and grade. The Auxiliary name and district number should be on back page. 

The theme is “Honoring Old Glory and those that fought for her.” 

Entries must be turned in to the VFW no later than March 4, 2022. 

First place winners from district are due to department chairman by April 15, 2022.  

There are local and state awards for this program.

Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Contest

This is one of the contests that is due first. This is a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay that was established in 1947. 

The theme for the 2021-2022 Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Contest is “America: Where Do We Go From Here?” 

This contest is for students in grades 9-12. The students can be in public, parochial, home schools or private schools and they must reside in the State of Illinois to be considered for the VFW department to be a winner.

Judging is based on three criteria: Originality, 30 points. Content, 35 points. Delivery, 35 points.

Deadline: Entries to VFW post, midnight Oct. 31.

There will be local, district, state and national awards for this program.

National awards: First place, $30,000 scholarship. Second place, $16,000 scholarship. Third place, $10,000 scholarship. Fourth through 36th place, $7,000 to $1,500 scholarship. 37th through 54th place, $1,000 scholarship

The department winner will also receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Patriot’s Pen

The theme for this year’s Patriots Pen essay contest is “How Can I Be a Good American?” 

This essay contest is open to all students in public, parochial, home schools or private schools and must reside in the State of Illinois to be eligible as a department winner.  

There will be local, district, state and national awards for this program.

Judging is based on three criteria: Knowledge of the theme, 30 points. Theme development, 35 points. Clarity of ideas, 35 points.

Deadlines: Entries to post, midnight, Oct. 31.

National awards: First place, $5,000. Second place, $4,000. Third place, $3,500. Fourth through 54th place, $2,750 to $500.

Young American Patriotic Art Contest

The Young American Patriotic Art contest is open to all students in grades 9-12, including those that are home schooled, not older than 18 years of age at time of the entry and must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. national. 

Artwork must be on canvas or paper. No digital art will be accepted. It is judged on patriotic theme and technique. 

There are local, state and national awards for this program.   

Applications and information have been taken to all area schools. Students must attend school in the state of the sponsoring Auxiliary. The deadline for this contest is March 4, 2022.

National scholarships: First place, $15,000. Second place, $7,500. Third place, $3,500. Fourth and fifth place, $1,500. Sixth through 10th place, $500.

Get Excited for the Red, White and Blue

This contest is open to students between the ages of 6 and 16, who are citizens of the United States or a U.S. national. 

The contest gives the entrant the opportunity to sing the National Anthem in that student’s best style. The words may not be changed, but the rhythm and tempo, the style, arrangement and genre are the choice of the vocalist. 

Submissions must be given to local Auxiliaries by March 31, 2022.

 There will be one winner chosen from the Department of Illinois and their entry will be forwarded to national headquarters by May 5, 2022. 

(Students must enter in the state where they attend school.) For more information, please contact Sherry Haddick at 559-4347. 

Teacher Award 

The VFW launched the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award in 1999 to recognize classroom teachers for promoting citizenship education. 

This annual contest recognizes the nation’s top classroom teachers who teach citizen education topics regularly and promote America’s history and traditions effectively. 

Teachers who are prime candidates for this award promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism.

Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Awards include the items below:

A national $1,000 Past Commander-in-Chief John Smart award for each of the top K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 teachers for professional development expenses.

A $1,000 award for each winning teacher’s school.

Plaques for both the winning teacher and school.

An all-expenses-paid trip to attend the VFW national convention.

Top 10 high school teacher’s invitation to attend a summer graduate seminar at Freedoms Foundation in Pennsylvania. 

If you know a teacher who may be eligible for this program, contact Linda Jackson at 833-7737.