This page provides information specifically for the Youth Scholarships by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Check below for more scholarships to apply for as a high school student, based on your grade.
For high school students who are passionate about democracy and public speaking. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Youth Scholarships offer an exciting opportunity for high school students to showcase their speaking and writing talents by preparing an audio-essay on a democracy-related theme. These scholarships are primarily offered through the Voice of Democracy competition, where students create a 3-to-5 minute audio essay on a pre-assigned theme. Recent topics have included "What are the greatest attributes of our democracy?", "I am optimistic about our nation's future," and "What price democracy?". The contest offers a range of generous scholarships, with amounts varying from $1,000 to $35,000, depending on the level of the award and progression through local, state, and national competitions.
This scholarship opportunity is open to all high school students in grades 9 through 12, but many students find that the sophomore year is the optimal time to apply. Sophomores, in particular, have had notable success in securing scholarships, as it allows them to gain valuable experience early on and reapply in future years for potentially larger prizes. The Voice of Democracy contest is not only an opportunity to win significant financial support for college education, but it also provides students with an avenue to hone public speaking, critical thinking, and communication skills.
The local VFW posts administer initial contests, and winners advance through state competitions to the national level, where the top award can be as high as $35,000. The voice recordings that students submit are evaluated based on their ability to effectively communicate their thoughts, their originality, and how well they address the chosen topic. In addition to the financial awards, students also gain a sense of pride and accomplishment in representing their communities and honoring the values of democracy.
The VFW Youth Scholarships encourage students to reflect on the principles that define American democracy, the role of veterans in safeguarding those principles, and the responsibilities of citizens to participate in and uphold democratic values. For those interested in political science, history, or public service, this scholarship can be a valuable stepping stone in furthering educational and career goals.
Testimonials from past winners highlight the lasting impact of the contest. One winner from New Jersey explained that preparing for the Voice of Democracy contest allowed her to better understand the importance of civic engagement, while a winner from Ohio described how the scholarship enabled him to focus on his education and pursue a career in government service.
The VFW Youth Scholarships provide a fantastic platform for students to express their views on democracy while honoring the service of U.S. veterans. Whether you are a seasoned public speaker or new to oratory, this contest offers the opportunity to grow both academically and personally, with the added benefit of significant scholarships for college.
Email: voice@vfw.org
Website: https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-scholarships
Address: Veterans of Foreign Wars, 406 W 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
Tel: 1-816-756-3390
The scholarships provided in the following pages are organized by grade level in high school; there is, thus, no longer any need to go through thousands of resources to find those applicable to you. Having been prepared with high school students in mind, highscholarships.com makes the task rather easy for you.
On this page, you will find numerous scholarships that are specifically for high school seniors. This is when you qualify the most number of scholarships! Do not wait longer!
SHOW ME ↓This page is dedicated to scholarships that are for high school juniors, of which there are plenty. Some of these can be applied for by high school seniors as well.
SHOW ME ↓Here, you can find scholarships for high school sophomores, although some of them are available also to high schoolers at other levels. Start early!
SHOW ME ↓There are also scholarships are for high school freshmen! These are not as many in number as other grade levels, but provide a reason to start early.
SHOW ME ↓It is not too difficult to fully fund your college dream via scholarships. Once you have identified the right opportunities/matches among countless resources, an endeavor highscholarships.com makes easy for you, statistically speaking, even if you had a low success rate, you can fully fund a private college education.