VFW Youth Awards
Scholarship Sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
Annually, the VFW's Patriot’s Pen® youth essay competition attracts over 60,600 middle school students from grades six to eight. They compete for a chance to secure a portion of nearly $1 million in state and national prizes. Each state's top winner is guaranteed a minimum of $500 at the national level, while the national champion walks away with a whopping $5,000!
The competition is designed to stimulate young minds to delve into America's past and reflect on their personal experiences in contemporary American society. They are required to compose an essay of 300 to 400 words, articulating their thoughts on a patriotic theme selected by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Students wishing to enter the competition must prepare their essay based on the current year's theme and submit it, along with a completed 2025-2026 entry form, to their local VFW Post. Remember to identify your local VFW Post sponsor as all applications must be submitted by midnight on October 31.
The theme for 2025-26 is:
How Are You Demonstrating Patriotism and Support for Our Nation?
Highlighting the 2024-2025 champion ...
The 2024-2025 Patriot's Pen competition was won by Evelyn Newbigging, an eighth-grader from Lancaster, South Carolina. Her thought-provoking essay, "My Voice in America's Democracy?" earned her the national first-place prize of $5,000. Newbigging's participation was sponsored by VFW Post 12136, based in Indian Land, South Carolina.
Experience Newbigging's award-winning essay as she presented it during the 2025 VFW's Parade of Winners, which was broadcast live. You can also read her essay here. Check out the full list of 2025 national champions.
Go to Scholarship Application