JAY – Paul Chretien, chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3335, has announced the “Voice of Democracy” patriotic audio-essay competition for grades nine through 12. Since 1947 the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign War premier scholarship program.

Students begin by competing at the local level. Deadline for entries at the post is midnight Wednesday, Nov. 1. Post winners advance to the district level and district winners go to the state competition The state winner will have a four-day tour of Washington, D.C.

Students compete by writing, then recording a three- to five-minute audio-essay expressing their views of this year’s patriotic theme, “Freedom’s Challenge.” State winners receive a $1,000 national scholarship, and any one of them could win the $30,000 first-place award.

Interested students and teachers should call Chretien at 897-4018 or Cindy Bennett at 897-2756. For more information, visit www.vfw.org.