Voice of Democracy

And so when you think about it, what I've been doing with them in the youth programs is we offer some scholarships.

So at the high school level, grades 9 through 12, we do, it's called Voices of Democracy.

And it's a written essay and an auditory essay.

And this year's theme is really fantastic.

But that's some of the ways that we honor our department is we are part of the memorial service.

And I know one of our Pup Tents have sponsored a Voice of Democracy winner.

So how do you, back home in your departments and Grands, honor each other? How do you make that connection? Um, we also have a table.

We don't call it a recruiting table at, in Wisconsin.

We do that by way of exciting student scholarship contests.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, better known as the VFW, has an annual Voice of Democracy speech contest for students in grades nine through 12, and a Patriot's Pen essay contest for students in grades six through eight.

The theme for both of these contests this year is What a Veteran Taught Me About America.

Scholarship funds are awarded at the local, district, state, and national levels.

It's the same rules.

So it's nationwide competition and they're, People that advance from North Dakota, they go to the regional or national competition.

I remember when I was a state commander for the VFW wing, I remember our state champion in the voice of democracy participated at the national level.

And she had an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., first of all.

yeah right

don't do that to me uh but no talk about the uh yeah voice of democracy

yeah the august or not august man way back

yeah

That's the final thought.

Okay.

And get them kids in on the voice of democracy.

And we didn't really talk about the Patriots pen.