Each year more than 132,000 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest. 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.

The national first-place winner receives $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The first-place winner from each state competes for national awards totaling $54,500, with each first-place state winner receiving a minimum of $500 at the national level.

How to enter

The Theme for 2023 is: “How Are You Inspired by America?”

Review the [Rules & Eligibility].
Download the [entry form].
Complete the form and submit it with the written essay to our Post by 31 Oct 2023.
Entries can be mailed in or dropped off during open hours.

Past Winners

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The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Washington State offers an additional Youth Essay opportunity for students in Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades to submit a written essay of up to 250 words. There will be a Post winner FOR EACH GRADE, as well as a State Winner FOR EACH GRADE. Awards are at the discretion of the local Posts and their Auxiliaries, as are the District Awards.

How to enter

The Theme for 2023 is “What does the word “Veteran” mean to you?”

Download the [entry form], which includes Rules & Eligibility information on page 2.
Complete the form and submit it with the written essay to our Post by 31 Oct 2023. Entries can be mailed in or dropped off during open hours.

Past Winners

2017 – “What Does a Veteran Mean to Me?”
1^st: Alex Anguiano, Washington Elementary
2^nd: Khloe Suppes, Waterville Elementary
3^rd: Isabela Orr, Lewis & Clark Elementary

2016
1^st: RyAnne Barnes, Clovis Elementary
2^nd: Andrea Hernandez, Lewis & Clark Elementary
3^rd: Alex Anguiano, Washington Elementary

2015
Jessalyn Alcazar, Mission View Elementary

2014
1^st: Layni Schmultzer, Grant Elementary
2^nd: Denise Sanchez, Sterling School
3^rd: Natalie Daggett, Sterling School

2013
1^st: Makenna Schwab
2^nd: Natteag Daris
3^rd: Cynthia Monravalo