The VFW Auxiliary is pleased to present the Continuing Education Scholarship to assist members and their immediate family members who wish to further their education by pursing a college degree or career direction at a vocational/technical school.
Who is Eligible to Apply?
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Applicant must be 18 years of age or older.
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Applicant must be one of the following:
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Current VFW Auxiliary Member*
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Spouse of current VFW Auxiliary Member*
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Son of current VFW Auxiliary Member*
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Daughter of current VFW Auxiliary Member*
*Qualifying member must have been a member of the VFW Auxiliary for one (1) year by the application submission deadline.
What is the Scholarship Amount?
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Four $1,000 scholarships will be awarded each year, one in each of the four VFW Auxiliary Conferences.
What are the Scholarship Submission Requirements?
Each applicant must:
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Answer all questions on the application.
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Write a brief essay (no more than 300 words) describing their commitment to their goals and how this scholarship will help them attain these goals.
What are the Scholarship Deadlines?
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July 1: Application process begins.
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February 15: All applications must be submitted to VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters.*
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May 1: Scholarship recipients are notified.
* required deadlines
PATRIOTIC ART CONTEST
Each year, more than 4,000 high school students from across the country participate in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. The contest began in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth. View the 2019-2020 state winners or all the previous first-place national winners.
Who is Eligible to Apply? Download Application
What is the Scholarship Amount?
What are the Scholarship Submission Requirements?
What are the Scholarship Contest Deadlines?
* required deadlines
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. Want to apply? Read the rules and eligibility requirements, and download and complete the 2022-2023 Patriot's Pen entry form as all student entries must be submitted to a sponsoring local VFW Post by midnight, Oct. 31.
About the 2020-2021 winner ...
Wyatt Perkins, a sixth grade home school student from Mayville, North Dakota, was named the 2020-2021 Patriot's Pen first place winner. His essay on the theme, "What is Patriotism to Me?" won him a $5,000 award. Wyatt was sponsored by VFW Post 4221 in Portland, North Dakota.
Watch as Wyatt delivered his winning essay, during the VFW's first-ever virtual Parade of Winners streamed live on Facebook, or see the complete list of 2021 national winners.
VOICE OF DEMOCRACY
The VFW is dedicated to promoting patriotism and investing in our future generation. If you are a democracy-loving high school student interested in a $30,000 college scholarship or a patriotic middle school student interested in winning $5,000, these scholarships may be for you.
Established in 1947, our Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. Each year, nearly 64,500 9-12 grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $2 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program.
The national first place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. A complete list of other national scholarships range from $1,000-$16,000, and the first place winner from each VFW Department (state) wins a minimum scholarship of $1,000. Want to apply? Read the rules and eligibility requirements, and download and complete the 2022-2023 Voice of Democracy entry form as all student entries must be submitted to a sponsoring local VFW Post by midnight, Oct. 31.
About the 2020-2021 winner ...
Erin Stoeckig, a high school junior from Mayo High School in Rochester, Minnesota, was named the 2020-2021 Voice of Democracy first place winner. Erin's speech on the theme, "Is This the Country the Founders Envisioned?" won her a $30,000 college scholarship. Erin was sponsored by VFW Post 1215 and its Auxiliary in Rochester, Minnesota. Watch as Erin delivered her speech during the VFW's first-ever virtual Parade of Winners award ceremony, live on Facebook.
Want to catch up on everything that happened this year? You can watch the Parade of Winners ceremony which was streamed live on Facebook, see this year's complete list of winners, or listen to the winning essay from your state
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