At a ceremony held recently, the Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) announced the top winners in the 2024 Voice of Democracy (VOD) District 3 essay contest. Created in 1947, the VOD audio-essay contest has been VFW’s premier scholarship program since 1961. It is open to high school students, grades 9-12, who are enrolled in public, private or parochial high schools or home study programs. Each year 25,000 students across the country participate to compete for more than $1 million in scholarships and incentives. Contestants record a 3 to 5-minute essay based on an annual patriotic theme which is submitted to their local sponsor VFW Post. The Post winners move on to a district level and those winners to a statewide competition during the fall of the academic year.
Award winners of the CT VFW District 3 Voice of Democracy high school competition are congratulated by: Linda Ciccone (left), President, CT VFW District 3 Auxiliary and Lee Wilson (right), Commander, CT VFW District 3. Winners are (L-R): Ryan Carroll, third place, senior at East Catholic High School, Manchester; Charlie Morello, first place, senior at Suffield High School; and Soham Shah, second place, senior at South Windsor High School.
This year’s theme was “Is America Today Our Forefather’s Vision?” The top essay winner who won First Place from District 3 is Charlie Morello, a senior at Suffield High School. She was sponsored by VFW Post 9544, West Suffield, Conn.
Winners were presented with certificates and a monetary award at a ceremony on January 11 in Suffield, during the Third District’s Annual Awards Breakfast of the Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign War and its Auxiliary.
“The Voice of Democracy competition provides high school students with the opportunity to speak out on freedom and democracy,” stated Lee Wilson, Commander District 3. “The program has been popular and successful since its beginning in 1947, and we are proud to keep offering it to America’s young citizens.”
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. The competition was created to provide students in grades 9-12 with the opportunity to express themselves regarding democratic ideas and principles.