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By Michael P. Mauer

Four Mon Valley students edged a broad field of candidates and were advanced to the next level of competition by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 914 Intrepid West Mifflin for this year’s Voice of Democracy (VOD) and Patriot’s Pen contests.

VFW Winners

The post received more than three dozen entries that gave some local scholars a chance to earn some of the $2 million in national educational incentives awarded annually through the VFW.

Earning the nod for this year’s VOD competition are juniors Glen Brown II, from Seton LaSalle High School, and Ashley Rogalla and Liam Rubright, from West Mifflin Area High School. Bree DeShields-Metz, an 8th grader from the West Mifflin Area Middle School, was awarded the top slot for the post’s Patriot’s Pen scholarship.

The three VOD winners each received a $100 award from VFW Post 914 Intrepid West Mifflin at the organization’s Nov. 24 meeting at the Thompson Run Athletic Association, as well as a VFW medal. A $100 check and a VFW medal also were presented to the post’s Patriot's Pen winner.

All of the VOD candidates will move to the next bracket of competition, to be held at Pittsburgh’s VFW District 29. If forwarded from there, entrants will earn a chance to compete at the VFW Department of Pennsylvania. After that, winners will then vie at the national level where the top laurels include a $30,000 scholarship.

As the Patriot’s Pen award winner, DeShields-Metz also earned the chance to advance to the next level of competition in the VFW’s youth essay contest. The top Patriot’s Pencompetitors selected from each state can earn $50,000 in awards, as well as a top prize of $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

In all, VFW Post 914 received 34 entries for this year’s VOD competition and 6 for the Patriot’s Pen. The post is permitted to advance one in 10 entries for each competition annually.

The year’s total of 40 entrants for both youth scholarship programs is a record for the post.

“We couldn’t be more pleased at the post with the big turnout we received from the students this year,” said Gary Ruston, VFW 914 Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy chairman. “It’s great to get this type of support from the teachers and administrators at the schools.”

For more information about VFW Post 914 and its activities, contact Commander Bradich at: 412-464-9838.

In the photo, above right: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 914 Intrepid West Mifflin Commander Jake Bradich, left, and VFW 914 Patriot's Pen and Voice of Democracy chairman, Gary Ruston, right, give recognition to local winners of the annual Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen contests. Pictured also are scholarship awardees Glen Brown II, Ashley Rogalla, Liam Rubright and Bree DeShields-Metz. Photo credit: Michael P. Mauer

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