Each year nearly 68,000 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.0 million in state and national awards. Each first-place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first-place winner wins $5,000. Winning Post 7186 entrants will also compete for a $300 prize at the VFW Illinois District 4 level which includes other winning local entrants from 15 other VFW posts in the north and west suburbs. … . Last year, Evanston VFW Post 7186 awarded $100 and $50 to the first and second place local winners.

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.

The Patriot’s Pen program is open to students in grades 6-8 who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial school or home study program in the United States and its territories.

We have worked with middle school curriculum planners who have incorporated Patriot’s Pen theme writing into the school year.

We asked one of our supporters, a K-8 Humanities teacher, for feedback on the value of the program.  She wrote:

“We were looking for competitions for our students, as there is a lot of evidence that students benefit from writing to a real audience and for an actual purpose …”

“It is an opportunity to have their writing read by someone other than their teachers. It is an opportunity to potentially be recognized or earn scholarship money. Finally, it is an opportunity to connect with our community.”

“I see it as an opportunity for my students academically and as critical thinkers.”

Help in preparing submissions is available by texting Jim Hughes at 847-302-5133. Jim is the Patriot’s Pen contact person for Evanston VFW Post 7186.

The 2024-2025 theme is: "My Voice in America's Democracy?"

Deadline — The completed essay and entry form must be in the hands of VFW Post 7186 by midnight October 31, 2023.

Entries my be submitted by email or US Mail.

• Download and read the 2024-2025 Patriot's Pen entry application.

• Pay special attention to the section “How am I judged?”

• You can complete the editable pdf entry form in Acrobat or by hand.

• You and your parent/guardian must sign the application

For entries submitted via email:

Print and sign your completed entry form and either sign electronically and send or print, sign manually and rescan to a new pdf file.

Prepare and save your essay.

Acceptable essay file formats include:

• Apple: Page

• Microsoft Word: docx

• Google Docs: docx

• Any source: pdf

For all emailed files, be sure to use a filename that includes your last name as entered on the entry form. 

Please de-identify essay files by removing any author or personal identifying information from the file or file metadata. Your name should appear only in the filename.

Remember not to include your name in your essay file title or text.

Email your completed and signed pdf entry form file and your essay file to VFW Post 7186 at: info@vfw7186.org

For entries submitted via US Postal Mail:

Mail hard copies of your completed entry form and your essay to:

VFW Post 7186
P.O Box 5503
Evanston, IL 60204-5503

Please note that US Postal Mail entries must arrive by midnight October 31, 2023

In 2022-2023 the Post 7186 winning entry was submitted by Xavier M.. You can read it here. And you can see all the 2022-2023 winners here.