By Tim Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Katherine Allum a senior at Moapa Valley High School, the daughter of Daniel and Alexis Allum has won the Nevada State Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Audio Essay Competition. In March, Allum will be taking an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete nationally Katherine won the VFW “Voice of Democracy” audio essay competition at the local VFW Post Elwood Perkins Post 8336 and its Ladies Auxiliary. Allum went on to win the District competition then went on to win the Department of Nevada competition.
Allum now advances to the National competition. As the state winner, Allum represents Nevada on the five-day trip to the National Community Service Conference of the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary. In Washington Allum will compete against VFW Department winners from across the country.
“The national first-place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship,” said Bruce Hollinger, Elwood Perkins Post Voice of Democracy Chairman. “The scholarship is paid directly to the American university, college, or vocational or technical school the winner chooses to attend.”
According to Hollinger, the attendees in Washington will also be vying for other national scholarships ranging in value from $1,000 to $16,000.
The VFW Voice of Democracy program was created in 1947 as an essay contest. The essay contest has since expanded to include audiotape/CD elements.The contestant is required to write and record a broadcast script on the topic of the year.
During her stay in Washington, Allum will visit various sights, including the Smithsonian Institute’s museums, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, The White House, the Library of Congress, and Arlington National Cemetery.
Throughout these tours, the Voice of Democracy participants are highly visible, each wearing a special jacket awarded by the VFW. These jackets are frequently decorated with Commander’s Pins from each of the VFW’s departments across the country. Each department gives the participant a sufficient number of the year’s pins to trade with the other fifty-four department’s contestants.
The trip concludes with the state winners being invited as guests of honor to the VFW’s Annual Congressional Banquet.
