Patriot's Pen Awards presented by Post Commander Barbara McCloy (from left), 1st place winner Hadassah Uitenbroek, 2nd place winner Alice Brown, 3rd place winner Mikayla Smith, Post Senior Vice Commander John Cansino. (Contributed)

Plover VFW announces essay competition winners

Metro Wire Staff

PLOVER – The Plover VFW Post 10262 has announced the winners of its annual Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy essay competitions.

Winners were recognized by Commander Barbara McCloy during the post’s December meeting.

Voice of Democracy Awards presented by Post Commander Barbara McCloy (from left), 1st place winner Samantha Schoepke, 2nd place winner Marisa Pliske, 3rd place winner Kaiden Painter. (Contributed)

Patriot’s Pen competitors, open to students in grades 6-8, submitted essays on the theme “My Voice in America’s Democracy?”

  • First place went to Hadassah Zoe Uitenbroek, an eighth grader at Stevens Point Christian Academy. Uitenbroek received a $150 check, a certificate of merit and a gold medal. She advanced to the Wisconsin VFW 7th District competition, where she placed third.
  • Second place was awarded to Alice Brown, a sixth grader at Stevens Point Christian Academy. Brown received $125, a certificate of merit and a silver medal.
  • Third place went to Mikayla Smith, an eighth grader at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Stevens Point. Smith received $100, a certificate of merit and a bronze medal.

Voice of Democracy, for students in grades 9-12, required participants to submit three-to-five-minute audio essays on the theme “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”

  • First place went to Samantha Schoepke, a senior at Pacelli High School in Stevens Point. Schoepke received $250, a certificate of merit and a gold medal. She advanced to the 7th District competition, where she earned first place, and will now compete at the state level.
  • Second place was awarded to Marisa Pliske, a freshman at Ben Franklin Junior High School in Stevens Point. Pliske received $225, a certificate of merit and a silver medal.
  • Third place went to Kaiden Painter, a sophomore at Stevens Point Christian Academy. Painter received $200, a certificate of merit and a bronze medal.

The Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen competitions were established in 1947 to promote patriotism and foster a greater understanding of American values among youth. The programs provide students with opportunities to compete for scholarships and awards, totaling more than $3 million annually at local, state, and national levels.