This page last updated on 12/20/2007
Voice of Democracy Competition
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition in 1946. The Veterans of Foreign Wars became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. Many notables have participated in the Voice of Democracy including journalist Charles Kuralt, Miss America Anita Bryant and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.
The Voice of Democracy competition provides high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors the opportunity to write and record a broadcast script on a patriotic theme, competing for more than $3 million in college scholarships and incentives. Department (state) winners receive an expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., during the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary Community Service Conference in March to enjoy our nation's capital and compete for scholarships ranging between $1,000 and $16,000, with the first place winner receiving a $30,000 scholarship.
The Rules:
The Voice of Democracy is open to students in grades 9 - 12, who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or in an overseas U.S. military/civilian dependent school. Foreign exchange students, students over age 19 and previous Voice of Democracy first place state winners are ineligible.
Record your original 3 to 5 minute (+ or - 5 seconds) essay on a standard cassette tape or CD on the 2007-8 theme "My Role In Honoring America's Veterans." Label your cassette or CD and neatly typed essay with your name and completed entry form. Provide these three items to your school/group competition or your local VFW Post for judging. All recordings must be in your own voice (hearing or speech impaired students should contact the Voice of Democracy National Office at 816-968-1117 for special instructions), without music, special effects or background sounds. Songs and poetry are not acceptable. You may not provide anything in the essay or recording that will identify you in any way. You may enter only one Voice of Democracy competition per year.
To advance to the next level, all entries must be judged at the VFW Post level. The only exception is where schools/classes/youth groups have large numbers of students and wish to conduct their own competition, submitting one winner for each 15 students to the local competition. Individual students may submit their entry directly to the local VFW Post provided they have not competed at a school/class competition. VFW Post winners compete at the VFW County Council level. County Council winners compete at the VFW District level. District winners compete at the VFW Department (state) level. Department winners receive an expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the VFW National level. All winners must begin at the Post level. To identify a participating VFW Post in your area, see the District information in the web site or call the Voice of Democracy National Office at 816-968-1117.
All entries competing at the Post level must be in the hands of the VFW Post by midnight, November 1, 2007. It is the responsibility of the student to meet this deadline by submitting their entry to the proper location.