Crystal Falls — The VFW’s annual Patriot’s Pen youth essay competition has begun, Commander Shannon Reinke of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. Post Tufts-Rondon 2891 announced.

Students in sixth to eighth grades in this area have the opportunity to compete and win thousands of dollars in national awards.

The VFW enacted the Patriot’s Pen competition in 1995 to encourage young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society by composing a 300- to 400-word patriotic-themed essay. The theme for the 2018-2019 competition is “Why My Vote Matters.”

Students begin by competing at the local Post level. Post winners advance to district competition, with district winners advancing to the state competition. State first-place winners compete for their share of thousands of dollars in awards, and the national first-place winner is awarded $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Each year, more than 125,000 students participate nationwide. Deadline for student entries is Oct. 31, and interested students and teachers should contact the local VFW Post Tufts-Rondon 2891 by phone at 906-875-6594 for more information.

For more information, go to www.vfw.org/PatriotsPen.