Lisbon VOD & PP Winners‏

Students from Lisbon Schools winning the Voice of Democracy completion were announced during a luncheon at the VFW Post 9459 on Saturday, March 27. (pictured l-r) Forrest Cornell, LHS; VFW Senior Vice Commander, Ed Cornell; LAVFW Senior Vice President, Lisa Cornell; LAVFW President, Carole Thomas; Alexis Ancona, LHS; Jennifer Newendyke, LFACO.

Lisbon students were recognized by Ed Cornell at the VFW Post 9459 for their participation in the Patriot’s Pen Writing Competition.  Pictured front row (l-r) Dylan Busler, Elysabeth Jefferies, Dylan Dall, Cornell,  Jennifer Runyon, Nichole Jones, Bree Sautter, Delanie Ouellette, and Dillon Clifford.  Back row: Lisa Cornell and Carole Thomas.

Lisbon – On Saturday, March 27 the VFW Post 9459 and LAVFW 9459 of Lisbon recognized Lisbon students in the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition and Patriot's Pen Essay Contest.  The Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary VFW promote citizenship education, voluntarism and positive youth programs. The VFW Scholarship Program, Certificates of Appreciation and monetary awards were distributed at a luncheon for students and their parents and teachers. Voice of Democracy winners were Forrest Cornell, LHS; Alexis Ancona, LHS; Jennifer Newendyke, LHS, Jennifer Newendyke, LFACO.

Created in 1947, the Voice of Democracy (VOD) scholarship program is an audio-essay contest for high school students in grades 9-12 annually providing more than $3 million in scholarships. The first-place winner, who competes with all the first-place VFW Department winners, receives a $30,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school.

In addition to competing for the top scholarship prize, as well as other national scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $16,000, each Department's first-place winner receives an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., March 6-10, 2010.

Patriot's Pen, a youth-essay writing contest is a nationwide competition giving 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.

Student winners of the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest at Philip W. Sugg Middle School were Delanie Ouellette, Elysabeth Jefferies, and Nichole Jones. Other students participating in the program from PWS were Cyrus Lavers, Brooke Gamache, Emily Stevens, Jennifer Smith, Haylee Jamison, Cory Raymond, Colby Williams, Alyssa Briglio, Dylan Busler, Jennifer Runyon, Dillon Clifford, Dylan Dall, and Breeann Sautter and Jessica Newendyke LFACO.

Contestants wrote 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.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed both programs on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2009-2010.  Programs are designed to foster patriotism by allowing students the opportunity to express their opinions based on an annual theme.

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

MONICA M. MILLHIME

Community Resource Coordinator

LISBON SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Email: mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org

Website:  www.lisbonschoolsme.org