2008-2009 Voice of Democracy Program

All information pertaining to the theme, judging, eligibility, awards and other aspects of this program are contained in the Veterans of Foreign Wars program booklet for the 60^th Annual Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program.  District Chairmen are responsible to ensure that their District programs are conducted within these rules and deadline.  District Chairmen are solely responsible for the conduct of the program within their Districts.  Make sure that you distribute copies of your program to all Posts in your District in sufficient time to ensure a successful competition. 

The Voice of Democracy Program is a joint program with the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan.  The Auxiliary does not need the permission of a Post to participate in the Voice of Democracy Program.  Post and District Chairmen are expected to include their Ladies Auxiliary counterparts in all activities concerning the conduct of local and District programs.

THEME: “Service and Sacrifice by America’s Veterans Benefit Today Youth by …”

Eligibility:  Ninth (9^th), Tenth (10^th), Eleventh (11^th) and Twelfth (12^th) grade students in public, private, parochial and home schools in the State of Michigan.  Former first place winners at the State and National level competition or any foreign exchange student are not eligible.  Please note:  Students do not have to be a relative of a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars or its Ladies Auxiliary to participate. 

Recording:  Recorded scripts must not be less than THREE (3) minutes nor longer than FIVE (5) minutes.  A five (5) second variation is acceptable to compensate for the possible deviation in equipment.  Scripts MUST be recorded on AUDIO CASSETTE TAPE OR CD ONLY.  Record all tapes or CD’s on a single track.  Scripts must be recorded without music or background voice.  Students must not use their names, the name or location of the sponsoring VFW unit, or the name or location of their school.  Tapes must not include any introduction of the script.  The only voice on the recording must be that of the student’s.  Special consideration may be given f or students that are speech challenged, upon written request through District to Department.  Scripts should be recorded using the best possible equipment available.  Post and District Chairmen are responsible for the content and quality of the entry.  Every effort should be made to submit the best quality entry possible. 

Entries:                                                           Posts

To receive credit for participation in the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition, a Post MUST:  SPONSOR THE PROGRAM IN THEIR COMMUNITY.  While it is still important to offer the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program in our schools, it is not solely a program for the schools.  You may now offer the scholarship competition to any ninth, tenth, eleventh or twelfth grade students.  Foreign exchange students are not eligible.  All entries MUST be submitted directly to the Post.  They may be submitted by local schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Church youth groups, Junior ROTC programs, etc.  The Post is encouraged to solicit from as many sources as possible. 

The Post will hold their own judging and may submit to District the number of students permitted by the following breakdown. 

1-15 student participants = 1 top Post entry is allowed to advance to District

16-30 student participants = 2 top Post entries are allowed to advance to District

31-45 student participants = 3 top Post entries are allowed to advance to District

46-60 student participants = 4 top Post entries are allowed to advance to District

61-75 student participants = 5 top Post entries are allowed to advance to District

Etc.

Note:  There is no maximum.  Posts may advance as many winners as possible based on the number of students participating. 

Forward a copy of all entries to District. 

Each student must be a 1^st place winner.  In other words, each student sent on to District from a Post must have won the same prize.  For example, a Post has one hundred student entries and is eligible to send four students to District for judging, those four students must each receive a first place prize from the Post.  If your Post listed them as 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th place, then you can only send in one. 

OR

Single Winner School Option.  A teacher working in cooperation with a Post can elect to hold a competition in the school, judge the participants and advance one student selected as their first place winner if and only if – and only if - the teacher has at least 15 students entered in the school competition.  The one declared the Post will advance “school winner” from each participating school to the next level.

Districts

Each District may submit only one entry to the Department for judging.  This entry must be certified on the proper National entry form by the District Chairman to be the District First Place Winner of the District Program judging.  The Post and District Chairmen accomplish this certification on the Official Student Entry Form, which must be signed. 

Each District shall be responsible for the conduct of the program and judging of entries within their District.  District Chairmen are expected to promote the expansion of the program by encouraging the participation of additional Posts.  Posts may now solicit student participation from any area.  It is not always possible to restrict sponsorship strictly along VFW District boundaries.  District Chairmen are expected to assist in the coordination of sponsorship of all schools in their District.  It is unacceptable that a school is not contacted. 

The following items MUST accompany the District entry to Department for judging. 

A)        One student script taped in accordance with the above rules.

B)        One completed student entry form from the National Program booklet.

C)        One good quality picture, preferably wallet sized.

D)        One typed, good quality copy of the student’s speech.

E)        One copy of the National District report form from the National Program booklet.

F)        One signed student release form from Department.

It is the responsibility of the District Chairman to ensure that all materials are included.  Any entry that does not include all materials may not be judged.

Reporting:  Post Chairmen are required to make a report or list off all participating students to District.  To obtain proper credit by the Post Chairman portion of the Student Entry form must be submitted to District with each Post entry must be completed.  The report must include the number of students participating from the school and the approximate cost for the program and awards for that school.  Proper credit cannot be given without this information.  District Chairmen are required to prepare and submit a complete report of Post participation within their District using the District Report Form from the Department Chairman.  This report must accompany the District entry to Department for judging. 

Deadline:  All student entries must be submitted to the Post by November 1, 2008.  Post judging may not start before November 2, 2008 and must be completed in time to ensure that the winning tape(s) or cd’s are in the hands of the District Chairmen by November 15, 2008.  Post Chairmen must refer to their District program for their District program requirements.  Judging is the responsibility of the Post Chairman to be conducted in accordance with the National Judging Criteria. 

District judging may not start before November 16, 2008 and must be completed in time to ensure that the winning tape and all required materials are in the hands of the Department Chairman by December 6, 2008.  Coordination of the District program is the sole responsibility of each District Chairman.  District judging is the responsibility of the District Chairman to be conducted in accordance with the National Judging Criteria. 

The Department deadline for District entries is December 7, 2008.  This deadline is absolute.  Department judging will be closed and will be the responsibility of the Department Committee.  The Committee has the sole authority to disqualify from the Department judging any entry, which is in violation of the rules as stated in the Department Program and the National Program booklet. 

AWARDS

All Post and District awards are the responsibility of those organizations.

Department Awards will be as follows:

First Place:     $6,000.00 Ralph J. Seabold scholarship, plaque, all expense paid trip to      Washington D.C. and all expense paid trip to the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge Pennsylvania. 

                        Awarded by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Michigan. 

Second Place: $3,500.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan.

Third Place:   $2,500.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by Hazel Park and presented by the 5^th District of the Veteran of Foreign Wars of Michigan.

Fourth Place: $1200.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan members Eric & Dolores Halvorsen.

Fifth Place:    $1,000.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by Department of Michigan Ladies Auxiliary. 

Sixth Place:    $1,000.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by the Newberry Post and presented by the 14^th District of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan.

Seventh Place: $1,000.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by Roger & Judy Mays, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan and its Ladies Auxiliary.

Eighth Place: $1000.00 Orvel Walter Memorial Scholarship and plaque. Awarded by the family of Orvel Walter.

Ninth Place:  $400.00 John & Shirley Sweebe Memorial Scholarship and $400.00 

                       Donald Mrdjenovic Scholarship and plaque. Award by Department of

                        Michigan VFW Post 3033 and Donald Mrdjenovic, a VFW Member from

                        Michigan.

Tenth Place:  $750.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by the Past Commanders Club

of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan.

Eleventh Place: $500.00 Dick & Vi Thorpe Memorial scholarship and plaque.

                         Awarded by the Department of Michigan VFW & Ladies Auxiliary Post

                         822. 

Twelfth Place:  $500.00 scholarship and plaque.  Awarded by the Department of 

                         Michigan VFW Post 4644. 

A Traveling Trophy will be awarded to the Post of the 1^st place winner to keep and display for one year.  The trophy will be returned to be awarded to the Post of next year’s winner.

Department awards will be presented at the 2009 Department of Michigan Mid-Winter Conference.  All District winners are expected to be present.  Each District must assume the cost of their winner’s transportation, meals and lodging.  Department will provide each District winner one banquet ticket.  Banquet tickets for family members and other guests are the sole responsibility of the District in cooperation with the sponsoring Post. 

Ernest E. Meyers, Sr.                                                Gloria Dobbie, Auxiliary Director

925 Forest Street                                                       12451 Clinton River Road

Charlotte, Michigan 48813                                       Sterling Heights, MI  48313

517-543-0014                                                              586-322-3304

Email:  emeyers76@cablespeed.com