CULLMAN, Ala. – Cullman County middle and high school students have until Oct. 31 to enter two Veterans of Foreign Wars essay competitions offering national prizes of $5,000 and a $35,000 college scholarship.
Cullman VFW Post 2214 is inviting local students to participate in Patriot’s Pen, a written essay competition for grades six-eight, and Voice of Democracy, an audio essay competition for grades nine-12.
Both competitions use the 2026-27 theme “What a Veteran Taught Me About America.”
Entries must reach a participating VFW post by midnight Saturday, Oct. 31. Students and parents should contact Post 2214 before the deadline to confirm how to submit their materials.
Voice of Democracy participants must write and record an original three- to five-minute essay in English, using their own voice. The entry includes an MP3 recording, a typed copy of the essay and a completed entry form.
The national first-place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship paid directly to an American university, college or vocational or technical school. Each state-level first-place winner receives a scholarship of at least $1,000, according to the VFW.
For Patriot’s Pen, students submit a typed, 300- to 400-word essay in English and a completed entry form. No oral presentation is required. The national first-place award is $5,000.
Both programs begin at the local post level, with selected entries advancing through district and state competitions toward national judging. The advertised top prizes are national awards.
Students enrolled in public, private and parochial schools, as well as homeschool programs, may participate if they meet the programs’ eligibility requirements.
The VFW requires students to produce their own work. Both programs prohibit inappropriate use of ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence tools.
Essays must omit names, school names and other identifying information from the essay itself to preserve anonymous judging. Identifying information belongs on the entry form.
Voice of Democracy recordings may not include music, singing, poetry or sound effects. Patriot’s Pen essays may not include color or graphics, and poetry is not accepted.
The entry forms also require a parent or guardian’s signature. Families should review the complete rules, including residency requirements and other eligibility restrictions, before submitting an entry.
Voice of Democracy judges consider originality, delivery and content. Patriot’s Pen judges evaluate knowledge of the theme, theme development and clarity of ideas.
The post and its Auxiliary also support local families through community events. In August, The Tribune reported that the Cullman VFW hosted its third Back-to-School Bash, offering free food and activities for children from Cullman and surrounding communities.
Students can find Post 2214’s competition flyers and entry links on the Cullman Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2214 Facebook page. The flyers include a separate QR code for each program.
National rules allow entries through a post-provided Scholars App link or QR code, along with other methods arranged with the participating post.
Students should use Post 2214’s instructions for local submission. Entries sent directly to VFW National Headquarters will not be considered.
Complete rules and official entry forms are available at www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships.
