AUBURN – Donald W. Linscott Jr., Auburn Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., 59th Voice of Democracy scholarship chairman, is requesting that all high school students in the Auburn and Poland area interested in the contest contact their guidance counselors or him for the rules and an application.

The students will compete for a $25,000 scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C., as well as a four-day trip to a “Spirit of America” Youth Conference hosted by the Freedoms Foundation and VFW at Valley Forge, Pa.

The Raymond J. Lavigne Post 9459 will be in charge of St. Dominic Regional High School. Contact Donald Bonneau, guidance counselor, or Rosemary Lane, 353-4879, for an application.

Students will write and record a three-to-five-minute audio/essay expressing their views of this year’s patriotic theme, “How I Demonstrate My Freedom.” The Auburn VFW is responsible for entries from Edward Little High School and Poland Regional High School as well as any home-schooled students in grades nine through 12 who live in Auburn.

Two winners of the Auburn VFW competition will each receive $200 in bonds and prizes and advance to the District 9 competition, going 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 involving 11 other districts. Awards will be $1,500, $800 and $500. Every entrant in the state VFW competition will receive at least a $100 U.S. savings bond. The state winner will have a four-day tour of Washington, D.C. All state winners will receive a $1,000 national scholarship.

Interested students should contact Linscott at 784-3024 or the VFW Post 1603 at 783-2561 from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Leave a name, address and telephone number.

The VFW computer will be available, and arrangements can be made to assist if needed. All scripts and tapes must be in the chairman’s hands by Nov. 1.