2025-26 VFW announces Patriots Pen & Voice of Democracy competitions

LOS LUNAS—The Daniel D. Fernandez, Los Lunas VFW Post 9676 is dedicated to promoting patriotism and investing in the education and success of future generations in our community.

One very important part of the posts’ effort is encouraging local students to seek out available scholarships and prize money to further their education.

With that in mind, the post is encouraging and cordially invites all Valencia County sixth-graders, and middle school students (grades 6, 7 and 8), to apply for and participate in the 2025-26 VFW Post 9676 Patriot’s Pen written essay scholarship competition.

For all Valencia County high school students (grades 9-12), the post is encouraging and cordially invites all area high school students to apply for and participate in the 2025-26 VFW Post 9676 Voice of Democracy audio and written essay scholarship competition.

The theme, for both the 2025-26 Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen, essay contests is the same: “How are you Showing Patriotism and Support for our Country?”

The grand prize for winning the Patriot’s Pen national competition is currently $5,000. The grand prize for winning the Voice of Democracy national competition is currently $35,000.

The state of New Mexico Voice of Democracy winner receives a chaperoned, all-expense paid trip to Valley Forge, Penn., to participate with other state winners, in a Founding Forward Spirit Youth Leadership Program, which is a new element of the Voice of Democracy program.

Additional scholarship and prize money for students is also available from New Mexico VFW competitions at the post, district and state levels, for winning their respective Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen competitions.

New Mexico VOD and PP winners, who are selected to compete in the national VFW VOD and PP essay contest, also win additional scholarship prizes and monies at that competition.

The deadline for submitting applications for both VOD and PP Post 9676 competitions is Friday, Oct. 31.

If you are interested, visit bit.ly/PP-Post9676?r=qr to get additional information, including a description of the contests, eligibility requirements, contest rules, application process information and judging criteria.

Once you have reviewed the information and determined you want to proceed by participating in the competition, click on the “Sign up” box in the upper right corner and follow the instructions for creating a password and logging in to the Scholars App website.

For additional information or questions about these essay contest scholarship opportunities, contact 2025-26 VFW Post 9676 Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy Chairman John Tull at 505-249-6104; email johntjr@earthlink.net.