2010-2011 Theme
"Does Patriotism Still Matter?"
Entry Deadline
Nov. 1, 2010
Entry form in .pdf format

Right click and "save target as" to download file.

Patriot's Pen, a youth-essay writing contest is a nationwide competition that gives students in grades 6,7 and 8 the opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy. Annually, more than 115,000 students participate in the contest.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2009-2010. The Patriot's Pen program is designed to foster patriotism by allowing students the opportunity to express their opinions based on an annual theme.
Contestants write a 300-400 word essay based on an annual patriotic theme. The first-place winner receives a $10,000 savings bond and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. The top national winners each receive a savings bond anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.

For more information contact VFW National Headquarters or your local VFW Post.

Student Information:
Students can enter by submitting the required entry form, along with their essay, to this VFW Post. Note: Current 2010 eighth grade students are ineligible