2025-2026 Patriot’s Pen Patriotic Youth Essay Competition - Enrollment and Submission Deadlines

Sep 22, 2026

Department of Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars provides an official guidance letter for the 2025-2026 Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest. The message states the theme “How Are You Showing Patriotism And Support For Our Country?”, explains how Posts and Districts access program guides, brochures, and entry forms, and lists state deadlines for student entry, judging, and mailed submission requirements. It also instructs how to complete participation reporting through the All-American Dashboard until National marks status as MET.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

2025-2026 Patriot’s Pen Guidance

Program theme and introduction

How to access guides, brochures, and entry forms

State deadlines and mailing requirements

All-American Dashboard participation reporting

Contact information for questions

Department of Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest 2025-2026 “How Are You Showing Patriotism And Support For Our Country?” Info To: Department Commander William Roland Department President Robin Kohler Department VFW Officers and Department Auxiliary Officers Department Auxiliary Scholarships Chairpersons District Patriot’s Pen Chairmen and District Auxiliary Scholarships Chairpersons Post Commanders and Post Auxiliary Presidents From: William D. Lamond III VFW Department of Pennsylvania Chairperson Subject: 2025-2026 Patriot’s Pen Patriotic Youth Essay Competition Theme: “How Are You Showing Patriotism And Support For Our Country?”Fellow Comrades and Auxiliary Members, Welcome to another exciting year of the Annual State Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Writing Contest. I know that with all your hard work and dedication to this program we will have yet another successful year. This year, the theme “How are You Showing Patriotism And Support For Your Country” encourages young minds to examine America’s storied history as well as their own experiences in American society. I thank each of you for your hard work and dedication to this program. With your support, we will have a very successful year. The following information should help you get started: Post and District Chairpersons can access the program guides, find participating Posts, download student brochures or purchase them online (Item \#04420) from the National VFW website [www.vfw.org](www.vfw.org. Students)[. Students](www.vfw.org. Students) can also complete a Patriot’s Pen entry form on the National website using the Patriot’s Pen link. The Department website [is ](is www.vfwpa.org)[www.vfwpa.org](is www.vfwpa.org); where you will find Department deadlines and the student entry brochure. State Deadlines for the 2025-2026 Patriot’s Pen Program are listed below: 1.) October 31, 2025-Student Deadline Entry is at midnight 2.) November 18, 2025-Post judging completed 3.) December 3, 2025-District judging completed 4.) December 9, 2025 -District Winner Entry Form, Typed Essay, Head and Shoulders Photo of good quality, District Summary Report and District Participation report in the hands of the Department Chairman, William D. Lamond III, 3360 Nashotka Road, Madison Township, PA 18444. THESE MUST BE MAILED. NO EMAILS, PLEASE. ***DO NOT MAIL TO DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS*** 5.) December 11, 2025-Department judging (Time and location to be announced) 6.) January 02, 2026-Department Winner and Reports submitted to National Headquarters 7.) January 17, 2026 - Annual Voice of Democracy Banquet at the Eisenhower Hotel, Gettysburg. The Patriot’s Pen first place winner for the Department will attend. Please note that all Patriot's Pen participation reporting is completed on the All-American Dashboard, starting at the Post level. Once the Post completes their judging and forwards their winners to the District Chairperson, the Post must enter the participation stats (Post and Auxiliary participation, number of participating students, number of winners advanced, monetary awards and additional money expended) into the dashboard. When the District and Department approves your participation report, National will approve and turn status to MET in the dashboard. This process will ensure each Post receives credit. For more information on reporting program participation visit, [vfw.org/my-vfw/all-American-dashboard](vfw.org/my-vfw/all-American-dashboard). The State Auxiliary Chairperson is Karen Mooney. If you have any questions or concerns, Karen and I can be contacted as follows: William D. Lamond III 3360 Nashotka Road Madison Township, PA 1718444 (570) 241-5875 Email: [ta30chev@gmail.com](ta30chev@gmail.com) Karen Mooney 81 Greenwood Drive New Cumberland, PA. 17070 717-580-3994 [E-mail:](E-mail: karenmooneycpc@comcast.net)[ ](E-mail: karenmooneycpc@comcast.net)[karenmooneycpc@comcast.net](E-mail: karenmoo

FAQs

What is the theme for the 2025-2026 Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest?

The theme is “How Are You Showing Patriotism And Support For Our Country?”

What is required for the District winner submission that must be mailed?

District winner entry form, typed essay, a head-and-shoulders photo of good quality, district summary report, and district participation report must be mailed (no emails).

Where should Patriot’s Pen participation reporting be completed and how does it progress?

Participation reporting is completed on the All-American Dashboard starting at the Post level. After the Post forwards winners to the District, District and Department approvals allow National to update status to MET.

Sep 22, 2026

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