VFW Patriot's Pen Youth Essay Contest
Offered by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
About This Scholarship
Patriot's Pen is the Veterans of Foreign Wars' national essay contest for middle schoolers — one of the few major scholarship competitions open to students in grades six through eight. Each year more than 800,600 students enter by writing a 300- to 400-word essay on a patriotic theme; for the 2026-27 cycle, the theme is "What a Veteran Taught Me About America." The VFW distributes more than $1 million in local and national awards through the program.
The contest runs through the VFW's network of local Posts: students submit their essay and entry form to a participating Post, and winners advance through Post, District, and state judging to the national round. Every state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first-place winner receives $5,000.
Patriot's Pen is the younger sibling of the VFW's Voice of Democracy audio-essay program for grades 9-12. For students who won't reach high school for a few years, it is a rare chance to start building a scholarship track record — and essay-contest experience — early.
Eligibility
- Students in grades 6-8
- Enrolled in a public, private, or parochial school or home study program in the United States, its territories, or possessions — or a dependent of U.S. military or civilian personnel in an overseas school
- Foreign exchange students are not eligible
- Entries are submitted through a local participating VFW Post
How To Apply
- Write an original 300- to 400-word essay on the 2026-27 theme, "What a Veteran Taught Me About America."
- Complete the official Patriot's Pen entry form from the VFW website.
- Submit the essay and entry form to your local participating VFW Post by midnight on October 31 — use the VFW's Post locator to find yours and confirm its entry instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can enter Patriot's Pen?
Students in grades 6-8 enrolled in a public, private, or parochial school or home study program in the U.S., its territories, or possessions, plus dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools. Foreign exchange students are not eligible.
How much can I win?
The national first-place winner receives $5,000, and every state winner receives at least $500 at the national level. The VFW awards more than $1 million overall each year through local and national prizes.
How is Patriot's Pen different from Voice of Democracy?
Patriot's Pen is a written essay contest for grades 6-8; Voice of Democracy is a recorded audio-essay competition for grades 9-12 with a $35,000 top scholarship. Both use the same annual theme and the same October 31 deadline through local VFW Posts.