Patriot Pen

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Since 1995, the Patriot’s Pen youth essay competition program has been available to students in grades 6-8. Each year, more 66,600 middle school students compete for more than $1 million in scholarships and incentives. Students compete by writing a 300–400-word essay on an annual patriotic theme. This year’s theme is, "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?”

CRITERIA: Patriot’s Pen is open to students in grades 6-8, who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions. Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (the application for which has not been denied) and intends to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law. Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or over, previous Patriot’s Pen first place state winners, GED or Adult Education Students are not eligible for entry.

HOW TO SUBMIT: Students will submit their Patriot’s Pen entry utilizing the Scholar’s App Scholarship Platform, an electronic scholarship entry and tracking platform. Each Post will have flyers with a QR code for the Patriot’s Pen scholarship program. Students will use the QR code to open the program and complete the application and their essay. Once completed the student will upload it to their local Post for judging.

Once the essay is uploaded students can track the progress of their essays and if necessary, make changes or corrections.

You must be the sole author of your essay. Inappropriate use of Chat GPT or other AI tools is not allowed.

In no way may contestants identify themselves within their essay (including, but not limited to, your name, school, city, state, race or national origin.) Do not put your name on your essay. Contestants are allowed to enter only once each year if otherwise eligible (one Post competition). Contestants found in violation of this rule will face elimination from the competition and will be required to return all prize money awarded or received. A contestant’s teacher, counselor or parent may check the essay for punctuation, grammar and/or spelling, but the content must remain the contestant’s. Contestants will be judged based on their essay alone and are not required to present the essay orally.

In the event a student cannot use Scholar’s App they may submit their entry form and essay via email or hard copy to their local Post for judging. If submitting hardcopy, the entry form is your essay’s cover sheet. Secure the Official Student Entry Form with a staple or other fastener on top of your essay.

If submitting to a school/group competition for judging. Submit the hardcopy as outlined above.

DEADLINES: The following deadlines shall be adhered to:

October 31, 2025 – Student entries to the Post
November 15, 2025 – Post winner submitted to the District
December 15, 2025 – District winners submitted to the Department
January 10, 2026 – Completion of Department judging
January 10, 2026 – District participation reports due to Department Chairperson
January 15, 2026 – Department winners submitted to National
January 31, 2026 – Department reports due to National

ALL-AMERICAN REQUIREMENTS: Post must submit one candidate to District for judging and make a report via the VFW.org (National) Program Reporting Tool (formerly All American Dashboard).

ALL-STATE REQUIREMENTS: Post must submit one candidate to District for judging, make a report via the Department reporting system, and the District Chairperson must annotate the Post’s participation on the District participation report.

District must submit one candidate to Department for judging.

AWARDS: Monetary awards at the Post and District level are subject to the approval of the Post or District membership. As for Department, the following is the monetary award:

The first-place winner at the state competition will receive a check for $1,000.00.
The second-place winner will receive a check for $500.00.
The third place winner will receive a check for $300.00.