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The 2020-2021 VFW Patriot's Pen competition ended October 31, 2020. Patriot's Pen is for students within 50 miles of Brainerd, MN. It is writing a 300 – 400 word essay in grades 6 - 8. Winners share $55,000 in scholarship money from the local and the national Veterans of Foreign Wars. The 2020-2021 theme was "What is Patriotism to me?"
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Check back in September 2021 for details on entering the 2021-2022 Patriot's Pen competition.
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The 2020-2021 First Place winner at the Brainerd VFW was Alex Lelwica, an 8th grader at St. Francis of the Lakes School in Brainerd. The reward was a check for $300 and an award certificate. His essay has been entered into the Minnesota 6th District Patriot's Pen competition. The theme was, "What is Patriotism to Me?"
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Patriotism to me is being proud to be a part of a country. For example, I'm proud to live in The United States of America where we get to choose who leads us and where we get to live freely. We have brave men and woman who fight for us and this is when you know you have something good. That is something that people are willing to fight and die for.
One of the many privileges of living in this amazing nation is the ability to elect our leaders. We get to decide who we want to make laws on our behalf. Therefore, our leaders are a representation of who we are as a people. We should learn to be accepting of the mistakes our leaders make. That to me is patriotism. It is where we can devote ourselves to building our country and voting to make it what you want it to be.
Another privilege is the ability to do what we want. We are given so many rights in this country that people take for granted. Even the content of the newspaper is a gift granted by our government that a lot of countries don’t enjoy. We live in a place where we get to decide what we do with our life and it isn’t controlled by other people. That to me is patriotism. To be free and still use that freedom to love your country as citizens.
A third privilege is that there are men and woman in foreign lands that put their lives on the line to protect all citizens rights. They constantly put themselves in danger for us. I’m honored to live in a country that is so good people are willing to die for it. When we are trying to be stopped from freeing people and letting everyone be equals, we still fight back no matter what. All this is patriotism to me. We live in a country so great that amazing men and woman are willing to put themselves in danger and die for this nation!
Overall patriotism to me isn’t one individual thing. It is everything. From the little to big things that together make me so proud of The United States of America. It is the people that make this country something to be proud of. This all is patriotism to me
One of the many privileges of living in this amazing nation is the ability to elect our leaders. We get to decide who we want to make laws on our behalf. Therefore, our leaders are a representation of who we are as a people. We should learn to be accepting of the mistakes our leaders make. That to me is patriotism. It is where we can devote ourselves to building our country and voting to make it what you want it to be.
Another privilege is the ability to do what we want. We are given so many rights in this country that people take for granted. Even the content of the newspaper is a gift granted by our government that a lot of countries don’t enjoy. We live in a place where we get to decide what we do with our life and it isn’t controlled by other people. That to me is patriotism. To be free and still use that freedom to love your country as citizens.
A third privilege is that there are men and woman in foreign lands that put their lives on the line to protect all citizens rights. They constantly put themselves in danger for us. I’m honored to live in a country that is so good people are willing to die for it. When we are trying to be stopped from freeing people and letting everyone be equals, we still fight back no matter what. All this is patriotism to me. We live in a country so great that amazing men and woman are willing to put themselves in danger and die for this nation!
Overall patriotism to me isn’t one individual thing. It is everything. From the little to big things that together make me so proud of The United States of America. It is the people that make this country something to be proud of. This all is patriotism to me
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January 18, 2020: Thea Bothun of Rochester, MN, was selected as the 2019-2020 MN state winner of the Patriot's Pen competition. She was very well spoken at the MN VFW Mid-Winter Conference and should do well in the future.
2018-2019 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
2017-2018 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
2016-2017 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
2015-2016 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
2017-2018 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
2016-2017 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
2015-2016 VFW National Patriot's Pen Winner
5th graders participate in the Essay Competition
Students in grades 9 - 12 are eligible to compete in the VFW's Voice of Democracy
Scouts K-12 compete for the Scout of the Year Award
Students in grades 9 - 12 are eligible to compete in the VFW's Voice of Democracy
Scouts K-12 compete for the Scout of the Year Award
