VFW Essay Winners
Patriot's Pen
Each year, more than 165,400 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first-place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first-place winner wins $5,000!
The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.
VFW & Patriot's Pen
24-25
23-24
Check out the Award Ceremony at The Port Report on YouTube
Congratulations to the 2023-204 Patriots Pen middle school essay winners:
Scarlett Moreau - 1st place
Evelyn Lilly - 2nd place
Gia Giuliani - 3rd place
Wesley Rich - 4th place
Congratulations to the 2023-2024 Voice of Democracy High School speech contest winners:
Irelyn Swan - 1st place
Marissa Malone - 2nd place
Tyson Sherwood - 3rd place
Dio Kugler - 4th place
Thank you Fairport Harbor VFW Post 7754 for coming to present the awards to our students today. Congrats to our winners, and to all, who wrote and submitted their essays this past fall.
22-23
VFW Contest 2/2/23
21-22
Patriot's Pen
VFW Awards - The 2021-22 theme is:
How Can I Be a Good American?
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Dan Sherwood - VFW Representative here from the Fairport Harbor VFW Post 7754
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Participation: - All received a VFW Backpack:
Annaleigh GaminoMakayla PowalieAurora JohnsonIrelyn SwanLuke ConnellEternity ReedPayton Hill -
1st place: Brooklynn Reglus
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2nd place: Issac Robinson
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3rd place: Rmani Pearson
20-21
16-17
Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy - Fall 2016 Winners
VFW Winning Essays
Patriot's Pen Winners - "The America I Believe In"
- 1st place: James Dean Spiesman
- Runners Up:
- Tierny DeGidio
- Connor Hulett
- Ryan Heller
- Joseph Tanker
Voice of Democracy Winners - "My Responsibility to America"
- 1st place: Jessie Smith
- 2nd place: Gabby Palmer
- 3rd place: Marcus Toreki
Voice of Democracy District 7 Winner - March 25, 2017
Gabby Palmer was invited to the local VFW Saturday, March 25, 2017, for a lovely awards presentation. Gabby also won 2nd place for the entire District which encompasses 5 counties (Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, Medina, and Cuyahoga). She was unable to attend the District awards ceremony as she was in the
musical the weekend they gave out the awards. A representative from District 7 came to the dinner and gave her a medal, a plaque and $500. So in total,
she won $300 from the local VFW Post 7754, $75 from the local women's auxiliary and $500 from the Ohio District 7 VFW. Congratulations Gabby Palmer. Please download a few pictures from the event here.
Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy
Patriot's Pen Essay Winners - Fall 2017
- 1st place: Morgan Braemer
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2nd place: Emily Luke
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3rd place: Natalie Gladding
Representatives from the VFW Post 7754 came to present awards to each of these students for their winning essays. Commander Kalal, President of the Essay Contests Mr. Sherwood and VFW Secretary Janet Merrick were at Fairport Harding High School to present awards. The theme for this year's contest was: America's Gift to My Generation. There were just over 70 essays submitted from grades 6-8 from just Fairport Harding Jr. High to the local VFW Post 7754. Mrs. Merrick shared the great news that 8th grader Morgan Braemer's first-place essay has placed third in the district and has moved on to the state competition. We wish Morgan Braemer the best and are very proud of her accomplishments!! Congrats again to all of our essay winners.
Voice of Democracy Winners - Fall 2017 - Congratulations to our High School Voice of Democracy Winners!
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1st place: Maya Hess
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2nd place: Adam Wilson
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3rd place: Angie Gutekunst
Just under 50 high school students competed in the Voice of Democracy speech contest this year. Students in grades 9-12 had to write a speech and then record it. Auburn Career Center's IMT students came to Fairport earlier in October and then created the audio recordings on CDs for our students to submit to the Fairport VFW. Thank you to all who participated and shared their opinions on America's Future! Well done to our three high school speech winners! Around September of next school year, please be on the lookout for next year's annual VFW Voice of Democracy contest and be sure to submit yours!
If you would like to watch Morgan Braemer and Maya Hess deliver their winning speeches, please watch the video on Youtube below:
Voice of Democracy Speech Competition and Patriot's Pen Essay Competition
Thank you to Auburn Career Center students in the Instructional Media Technology class for creating the video of our assembly.
Please download and read our Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy - Fall 2016 Winners
VFW Winning Essays
Patriot's Pen Winners - "The America I Believe In"
- 1st place: James Dean Spiesman
- Runners Up:
- Tierny DeGidio
- Connor Hulett
- Ryan Heller
- Joseph Tanker
Voice of Democracy Winners - "My Responsibility to America"
- 1st place: Jessie Smith
- 2nd place: Gabby Palmer
- 3rd place: Marcus Toreki
Voice of Democracy District 7 Winner - March 25, 2017
Gabby Palmer was invited to the local VFW Saturday, March 25, 2017, for a lovely awards presentation. Gabby also won 2nd place for the entire District which encompasses 5 counties (Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, Medina, and Cuyahoga). She was unable to attend the District awards ceremony as she was in the
musical the weekend they gave out the awards. A representative from District 7 came to the dinner and gave her a medal, a plaque and $500. So in total,
she won $300 from the local VFW Post 7754, $75 from the local women's auxiliary and $500 from the Ohio District 7 VFW. Congratulations Gabby Palmer. Please download a few pictures from the event here.
Please download and read our Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy - Fall 2017 Winners
Patriot's Pen Essay Winners - Fall 2017 - Congratulations to our Middle School Patriot's Pen Essay Winners!
- 1st place: Morgan Braemer
- 2nd place: Emily Luke
- 3rd place: Natalie Gladding
Representatives from the VFW Post 7754 came to present awards to each of these students for their winning essays. Commander Kalal, President of the Essay Contests Mr. Sherwood and VFW Secretary Janet Merrick were at Fairport Harding High School to present awards. The theme for this year's contest was: America's Gift to My Generation. There were just over 70 essays submitted from grades 6-8 from just Fairport Harding Jr. High to the local VFW Post 7754. Mrs. Merrick shared the great news that 8th grader Morgan Braemer's first-place essay has placed third in the district and has moved on to the state competition. We wish Morgan Braemer the best and are very proud of her accomplishments!! Congrats again to all of our essay winners.
Voice of Democracy Winners - Fall 2017 - Congratulations to our High School Voice of Democracy Winners!
-
1st place: Maya Hess
-
2nd place: Adam Wilson
-
3rd place: Angie Gutekunst
Just under 50 high school students competed in the Voice of Democracy speech contest this year. Students in grades 9-12 had to write a speech and then record it. Auburn Career Center's IMT students came to Fairport earlier in October and then created the audio recordings on CDs for our students to submit to the Fairport VFW. Thank you to all who participated and shared their opinions on America's Future! Well done to our three high school speech winners! Around September of next school year, please be on the lookout for next year's annual VFW Voice of Democracy contest and be sure to submit yours!
If you would like to watch Morgan Braemer and Maya Hess deliver their winning speeches, please watch the video on Youtube below:
(Video Credits: Auburn Career Center Instructional Media Technology Program)