VFW Post 5052 News
Submitted by W. Stephens, Quartermaster
Congratulations to our 2018 Voice of Democracy winner Tahoma Senior Jillian Berkenkotter! Jillian is pictured receiving her first prize check for $300, being presented by Junior Vice Commander Dayle Peiper and Commander Ralph Henry at our Post’s holiday dinner on December 12. Her winning essay on “Why My Vote Matters” will now be sent on to district competition. Monetary prizes are awarded at every level of competition – local, district, state, and national where the winning prize is a $30,000 scholarship.
The Voice of Democracy essay competition, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, is held every year and is open to all students in the 9th thru 12th grade, including home-schooled students. There is also an essay contest for students in the 6th thru 8th grade called Patriot’s Pen, and the first prize (national) is a $10,000 scholarship. More information on this year’s contests may be found at the website, VFW.org/programs including the essay themes which are announced in the spring.
We, the members of your Maple Valley – Black Diamond Post 5052, encourage all students to participate in the contests, as it can be very rewarding. We also encourage the support of these contests by the Tahoma School District and its teaching staff to include the essays in their curriculum as they have been shown to enhance the student’s cognitive and writing skills necessary to foster their success in advanced education.
All questions can be sent to our post at P.O. Box 1491, Maple Valley 98038.
