Conducted nationwide, Patriot’s Pen, a VFW sponsored youth essay competition gives students an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on democracy.

VFW Post 10349 invites community youth to join the more than 125,000 students who participated last year in this contest.

Patriot’s Pen is open to sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students enrolled in public, private or parochial schools in the U.S., its territories or its possessions to participate. Home schooled students also are eligible. Foreign exchange students and former winners that place in the National finals are excluded from the contest.

Winners are at the post, district, state and national levels are recognized.

The first place award is currently $5,000, plus an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and a parent or guardian.

This years 2013-2014 theme is: “What Patriotism Means To Me.”

For a form and more information, call Johnny or Gerry Taylor at 828-894-8673, or see teacher Brain Taylor at Polk County Middle School.

– article submitted by Johnny Taylor