AUBURN – Chairman Donald W. Linscott Jr. for the Auburn Veterans of Foreign Wars post 57th Voice of Democracy Scholarship competition, requests that all Auburn area high school students interested in winning a $25,000 scholarship and trip to Washington, D.C., contact him for the rules and an application.

Students compete by writing and recording a three- to five-minute audio essay expressing their views of this year’s patriotic theme, “My Commitment to America’s Future.”

The Auburn VFW is responsible for the contest involving high school students from Edward Little and St. Dominic Regional high schools as well as home-schooled students in grades nine through 12 who live in Auburn.

The two winners of the Auburn VFW competition will receive $200 in bonds and prizes and advance to the District 9 competition, vying against winners from Lewiston, Lisbon, Monmouth, Canton, Jay, South Paris and Rumford. District prizes are $150, $75 and $50.

The district winner will advance to the state competition involing the other 11 districts. Maine VFW awards $1,500, $800 and $500 scholarships. Every state entrant will be awarded at least a $100 U.S. savings bond. The winner will receive a four-day trip to Washington, D.C. The national winner will receive a $25,000 first-place award, but all of the winners receive at least a $1,000 national scholarship.

Interested students should contact Linscott at 784-3024 or VFW Post 1603 at 783-2561 from 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Leave name, address and telephone number, and a brochure and an application will be forwarded.

All entrants will have the use of the VFW computer, and arrangements can be made to assist in taping if needed. All entries must be in the chairman’s hands by Nov. 1.