Lila Harvey earns essay recognition for second straight year

Lila Harvey is pictured with her family and VFW Commander Rex Murdoch of Post 10194, Grass Lake. (From left: Leigha Harvey, Steve Harvey, Lila Harvey, Rebecca Harvey, Max Harvey, Commander Murdoch.) Photo courtesy of Grass Lake Post 10194 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars sponsors the Patriot’s Pen essay/scholarship competition. Students from the 6-8th grades from across the United States, US territories, and US defense/diplomatic locations overseas compete for a national scholarship worth $5,000.

This Patriot’s Pen program begins with submission of written essays to local VFW posts. Essays are due by October 31 to qualify for initial judging. Students who win at the local Post level are advanced to the next level of the competition.

Grass Lake Post 10194 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is pleased to announce Lila Harvey, an eighth-grader at Manchester Community Schools, as Post winner for the 2020-21 competition. The essay topic for this year’s competition was, “What is Patriotism to me?”

In presenting the $250 Post-level award, VFW Commander Rex Murdock noted that Lila had won the competition two years in a row. “We admire her perseverance and appreciate her representing our community,” he added.

This is Lila’s last year of eligibility for the Patriot’s Pen program. Post 10194 is hopeful that she will consider submitting an essay for the senior high program, known as the Voice of Democracy. The national scholarship awarded for the Voice of Democracy program is $30,000. Essay topics and rules for the 2021-22 Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen competitions will be announced next summer.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.