Muldrow VFW Post 8394 is proud to announce the winners of this year’s Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen competitions.
These prestigious programs, which encourage youth to reflect on American values, saw outstanding participation from local students across Muldrow, Gans and Roland.
Voice of Democracy winners
The Voice of Democracy competition, which invites high school students to deliver a speech on the theme “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?” saw 17 entries this year. The top three winners were:
• First Place: Scarlett Wooten, Muldrow High School
• Second Place: Parker Mahar, Gans High School
• Third Place: Logan Cunningham, Muldrow High School Scarlett and Parker both advanced to the district competition, where Scarlett earned an impressive third place finish. The winners received scholarships and prize money, with $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $150 for third place.
Patriots Pen essay winners
The Patriots Pen essay contest, aimed at students in grades six through eighth, encouraged young minds to explore “My Voice in America’s Democracy.” This year’s competition attracted 77 entries. The top three essayists were:
• First Place: Ryu Lavricello, Liberty Elementary, Roland
• Second Place: Crystal Harrison, Muldrow Middle School
• Third Place: Audrey Sharp, Muldrow Middle School Ryu Lavricello’s winning essay earned him a place in the state competition. The top seven winners advanced to district-level competition. The prizes for this contest were $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $150 for third place.
“We would like to extend our deepest thanks to all participating students, their teachers, and the dedicated judges who made these competitions possible,” Jackie Plank, with VFW Auxiliary 8384, said.
Plank said special recognition goes to the schools involved, including Muldrow High School, Gans High School, Roland High School, Liberty Elementary, Roland, and Muldrow Middle School.
“Without the support of these schools and the efforts of our judges, programs like these would not be possible,” Plank said. “The Muldrow VFW Post 8394 and VFW Auxiliary 8384 look forward to another year of inspiring and encouraging the next generation of leaders. Congratulations to all the winners.”
