Department of New York Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Thomas Todaro and Youth Recognition & Scholarship Chairman Wally Zincio announced the kickoff of this year’s VFW-sponsored Voice of Democracy Essay Competition. All New York State high school students have the opportunity to compete for more than $150,000 in scholarships and prizes and a trip to Washington, DC and Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

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 participating VFW Post by midnight Oct. 31. The 2019/20 theme selected is “What Makes America Great.”

Students begin by competing at the local Post level with an entry deadline of Oct. 31. Post winners then compete at the District level with the winner advancing to the State competition. A panel of impartial judges consisting of elected officials and community leaders will convene Dec. 28 at Columbia Greene Community College, Hudson, New York to choose winning essays from the ones that reached Zincio’s desk from across the State. The essay winners chosen that day will receive up to $8,000 scholarship awards as follows:

First place = $2,500

Second place = $1,500

Third place = $1,000

Fourth place = $500

The Department of New York’s first place winner will then be advanced to the National competition. All state first-place winners receive a four-day trip to Washington, DC and the chance to compete for their share of more than $150,000 in scholarships. The first-place National winner receives a $30,000 college scholarship. The Department of New York’s first place winner will also be offered a trip to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to attend a leadership seminar, Freedoms Foundation.

Go to http://www.vfw.org/VOD for detailed contest rules and applications.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NBA) 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 grades 9 to 12 the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles. Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and the VFW awards more than $2 million in scholarships every year.

The local contact person is Pat Rabb, 341-1328.