Palatine High School Senior Wins $2,500 in VFW's Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program

From Palatine VFW: Aidan D. Busch, a senior at Palatine High School in Palatine IL, was named the VFW Department of Illinois’ first-place winner and recipient of the John H. Emery Youth, Pageantry and Patriotism Award of $2,500 in the 2017 Voice of Democracy Scholarship program. VFW Post 1337 in Mt. Prospect IL sponsored Aidan.

“The Voice of Democracy competition provides high school students with the opportunity to speak out on freedom and democracy,” says VFW Department Commander W. Dave Stout. “The program has been popular and successful since its beginning in 1947, and we’re proud to keep offering it to America’s young people.”

The Voice of Democracy is a worldwide audio-essay competition that requires entrants to write and record a three-to-five minute essay on a patriotic-based theme. “My Responsibility To America” was this year’s theme.

Over 2700 Illinois students participated in the competition this year. As one of 54 finalists worldwide, Aidan will travel to Washington, D.C. and compete at the national level for the first-place prize of a $30,000 college scholarship.

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 grades 9-12 the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles. Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards more than $2 million in scholarships every year.

ABOUT THE VFW:

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. Founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, the VFW is the nation's largest organization of war veterans and its oldest major veterans organization. With nearly 1.7 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in more than 6,700 Posts worldwide, “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS.” The VFW and its Auxiliaries are dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at www.vfw.org.

• Contact: Michael DeRoss
• 217 529-6688
• mdeross@vfwil.org

Photo courtesy of Palatine VFW