Patriot's Pen

The Patriot’s Pen is a national youth essay contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for students in grades 6–8, encouraging them to express their views on a patriotic theme through a 300–400 word essay. Open to eligible students in the U.S., its territories, possessions, and overseas U.S. military or civilian schools, the competition awards more than $50,000 in national prizes, with state winners receiving at least $500 and the national first-place winner earning $5,000 plus an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. Entries must be submitted to a local VFW Post by October 31.