Patriot's Pen

Patriots Pen Essay Contest

Patriot’s Pen provides 6th, 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills while they compete for worthwhile awards and prizes. Awards can be given at the local, district and state levels. The state winners compete for $55,000 in awards at the national level. The first place national winner receives a $5,000 award. The entry deadline is Oct. 31.

Each year more than 138,000 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 $900,000 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 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. 

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.  

Open to eligible sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, this year’s theme is "How Can I Be a Good American?

Student entries, accompanied with a completed entry form, must be submitted to a local participating VFW Post. The deadline for both contests is Oct. 31, 2021.

Want to apply? Read the rules and eligibility requirements,

and download the 2021-2022 entry form application