Patriot's Pen
.jpg "2011 Patriot's Pen Winner")
Julia Funk, a 7th grade student at Oakbrook Preparatory in Spartanburg, S.C., was named the 2011 Patriot's Pen 1st place winner.
Her essay on the theme "Does Patriotism Still Matter?" won her a $10,000 savings bond. Julia was sponsored by VFW Post 9539 in Roebuck, S.C.
YOU TOO CAN WIN!
The 2011-2012 theme was: "Are You Proud of Your Country?" The deadline to enter was November 1, 2011. 2011-2012 national Patriot’s Pen winners will be announced in mid-February on this website.
WHO CAN ENTER:
The Patriot's Pen program is open to students in grades 6-8, who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States and its territories.
Please
note: Current 8th grade students are not eligible for the 2012-2013
Patriot’s Pen contest, they can, however, enter the Voice of Democracy contest for 9th-12th grade high school students - before November
1, 2012.
HOW TO ENTER:
Click here for the 2012-2013 Patriot's Pen entry form.
The deadline for the 2012-2013 program is November 1, 2012. The theme for 2012-2013 is: “What I Would Tell America’s Founding Fathers.”
Students can ask a teacher or youth group leader to supervise their progress in the competition. Then students can contact a local participating VFW Post and established a contact person who is a member of that Post or its Ladies Auxiliary.
Next, it is time to start drafting considering the 2012-2013 theme, "What I Would Tell America's Founding Fathers."Essays must be no less than 300 words and cannot exceed 400 words and should be submitted to the Post, along with the completed Patriot's Pen entry form no later than the November 1 deadline.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
Knowledge of the theme is worth 30 points: You must show a thorough knowledge of the theme in your work. Demonstrate you have researched the issue extensively.
Theme development is worth 35 points: Answer all relevant facts about the theme such as the who, what, where, when and why. Relate the theme to your own experiences.
Clarity of ideas is worth 35 points: Write your essay in an easy-to-understand format. Leave your reader with a clear understanding of your explanation of the theme.