[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-350395-105":53,"doc-detail-350395-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","state-of-michigan-2026-2027-voice-of-democracy-program-revised","State of Michigan - 2026-2027 Voice of Democracy Program - Revised","","State of Michigan outlines the 2026-2027 Voice of Democracy audio-essay program for high school students, describing an annual contest where nearly 25,000 ninth through twelfth graders compete for educational scholarships. The document explains Michigan’s district-to-state process, national awards, and the required patriotic-themed essay focus. It also covers theme guidance, distribution responsibilities, eligibility limits, judging rules, recording requirements, and how VFW Posts submit and manage entries for district-level advancement.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/state-of-michigan-2026-2027-voice-of-democracy-program-revised/350395/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/state-of-michigan-2026-2027-voice-of-democracy-program-revised/350395.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Levi","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-12","2026-09-22",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What is the Voice of Democracy program, and who can participate in Michigan?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"The program is an audio-essay competition for Michigan high school students in grades 9–12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools. Ninth through twelfth grade students may participate, while former state/national first-place winners and foreign exchange students are not eligible.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"How should the judging be conducted?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"Use five to nine judges with a minimum of three, all from outside the local Posts and Auxiliaries and representative of the community. Judges must not have any connection to competing students, and invitations should be sent well in advance with follow-ups by letter/email and phone.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What are the recording and submission rules for recorded essays?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"Essays must be recorded with no music or background voices and without introductions. Recordings must be between three and five minutes (with a five-second variation allowed), saved only on a full-size standard flash drive, and must not include student names, Post names/locations, or school names/locations.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},350395,1791224581,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":76,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":9},7971461740909,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","State of Michigan  \n2026-2027 Voice of Democracy Program  \nOur Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regard to a patriotic-themed recorded essay. Each year, nearly 25,000 ninth through twelfth grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than a million dollars in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program.  \nIn Michigan, one student from each of VFW’s 12 districts will compete on the state level, each winning a minimum scholarship of $1000. The state winner will go on to compete at nationals. The national first place winner receives a $35,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college, or vocational/technical school.  \n2026-2027 Voice of Democracy Theme“What a Veteran has Taught Me About America.’’  \nAll 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 Annual Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program. District Commanders are responsible to ensure that their District Chairman are conducting their programs within these rules and deadlines. District Commanders are solely responsible for the conduct of the programs within their Districts. Make sure that copies of this program are distributed to all the Posts within your District insufficient time to ensure that there is a successful competition.  \nThe Voice of Democracy program is a joint program with the VFW Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Michigan. The Auxiliary does not need the permission of a Post to participate in the program. Post and District Chairman are expected to include their VFW Auxiliary Counterparts in all activities concerning the conduct of the local and District programs. Coordination of the District program is the responsibility of the District Commanders and District Chairman. Post Chairman must refer to their District program for the program requirements and deadlines.  \nJudging the Contest  \nThe suggested number of judges is five to nine, with a minimum of three. Judges must be from outside your Posts and Auxiliaries and should represent your community. Judges must not in anyway be connected to the students in the competition. Failure to follow these judging rules could result in your student being disqualified. Set the date for your judging and invite the judges at least 60 days in advance. Remind them a week before the competition with a letter or email, and two days before with a phone call.  \nEligibility  \nNinth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Grade students in public, private, parochial, and home schools in the State of Michigan. Former first place winners at the State and National level of competition or any Foreign Exchange students are not eligible. Students do not have to be relatives of a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars or its VFW Auxiliary to participate.  \nRecording  \nRecorded Essays must not be less than three minutes and not longer than five minutes. A five second variation is acceptable to compensate for the possible deviation in equipment. Essays must be recorded on full size standard flash drive only. Essays must be recorded without music or background voices. Students must not use their names, the name or location of the sponsoring VFW Post, or the name or location of their school. Recordings must not include any introduction to the essay. The only voice on the recording must be that of the students. Special consideration may be given for students that are speech challenged upon written request through the District to the Department Director. Scripts should be recorded using the best possible equipment available. Post and District Chairman are responsible for the content and quality of the entry. Every effort should be made to submit the best quality entry possible. Please note: Cassette tapes and CDs are no longer accepted by the Department o","cbCaid6uPqdUaGyb","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaid6uPqdUaGyb","pdf",234472,"English","# 2026-2027 Voice of Democracy Program Overview\n## Theme, distribution, and responsibilities\n## Judging the contest and eligibility\n## Recording and submission requirements","[{\"question\":\"What is the Voice of Democracy program, and who can participate in Michigan?\",\"answer\":\"The program is an audio-essay competition for Michigan high school students in grades 9–12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools. Ninth through twelfth grade students may participate, while former state/national first-place winners and foreign exchange students are not eligible.\"},{\"question\":\"How should the judging be conducted?\",\"answer\":\"Use five to nine judges with a minimum of three, all from outside the local Posts and Auxiliaries and representative of the community. Judges must not have any connection to competing students, and invitations should be sent well in advance with follow-ups by letter/email and phone.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the recording and submission rules for recorded essays?\",\"answer\":\"Essays must be recorded with no music or background voices and without introductions. Recordings must be between three and five minutes (with a five-second variation allowed), saved only on a full-size standard flash drive, and must not include student names, Post names/locations, or school names/locations.\"}]","State of Michigan - 2026-2027 Voice of Democracy Program - Revised | PDF",1790088871]