The Conyers Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 5290 announced the kick-off of this year’s VFW and Ladies Auxiliary "Patriot’s Pen" (PP) and "Voice of Democracy" (VOD) competition. Local middle school students have the opportunity to compete for college money in the PP essay competition. High school students have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships by entering the VOD competition.

Students begin by competing at the local VFW Post level, with an entry deadline of Nov. 1, 2013 for each category. Prizes are awarded to winners at each post, district, and state levels before moving on to the National finals.

Both PP and VOD State winners will receive an expense-paid trip to Washington D.C., where a total of $152,000 will be awarded to national finalists. The first-place VOD prize is a $30,000 college scholarship, and $5000 is awarded to the PP winner.

Students in the PP competition must write a 300- to 400-word essay on this year’s theme, "What Patriotism Means to Me." VOD competitors must write and record a three to five minute essay on the theme "Why I’m Optimistic About Our Country’s Future" on an audio cassette tape or audio CD. All entries are to be submitted to the local VFW Post by the Nov. 1 deadline. Interested students, including home-schooled students, and/or their teachers should contact the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen VFW chairman for this project, Peter Wolfe, at 770-278-8040 or peter.wolfe@rockdalecounty.org for more information on completing entry forms and contest rules. The project chairman will also be visiting the local schools to encourage students and their teachers to take part in these competitions. You may also contact the Conyers VFW Post Commander Dean Smith at dsmithvfw5290@comcast.net or call 770-469-1714.