Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy essay competition first place winner, Jesus T. Sablan, holds his awards as he poses for a photo with VFW Post 347 Commander Robert DeRocher at the VFW Post 3457 headquarters in Garapan on Monday.
From left, Aubrey Page A. White, second place, Patriot’s Pen; Serin Chung, second place, Voice of Democracy; Irin Chung, third place, Voice of Democracy; Phoenix Sapphire Gross, third place, Patriot’s Pen; Jesus T. Sablan, first place, Voice of Democracy; and VFW Post 3457 Commander Robert DeRocher.
SAIPAN International School senior student Jesus T. Sablan has won, for the fourth consecutive time, the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Voice of Democracy patriotic audio essay writing contest.
Sablan and this year’s five other winners were honored at the VFW Post 347 headquarters in Garapan on Monday night.
Established in 1947, the Voice of Democracy essay contest gives middle and high school students an opportunity to express their own thoughts in a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay.
This year’s theme was “Why Is the Veteran Important?”
Sablan, 16, received a $275 cash prize, a medal and a slot and an opportunity to compete at the district level and in the national competition where a $35,000 grand prize awaits the champion.
Last year’s runner up, SIS 11th grader Serin Chung, placed second again this year and received $190. Her sister, Irin Chung, a 9th grader at SIS placed third and brought home $85.
Sablan said he is grateful and proud to win the VFW essay writing contest for four years in a row. He thanked SIS teacher Kimberlee Church for informing him about the VFW competition.
“She’s actually the one that got me started,” Sablan said, adding that the first time he won the contest encouraged him to again join the competition in the following years.
But this year is his last because the competition is for ninth to 12th graders only.
Serin Chung said, “I’m really glad I won,” adding that it’s “really hard to be” an “amazing writer.”
Irin Chung, who joined the contest for the first time, said it was a great experience. “We should treat veterans with gratitude and respect because they worked hard for our country,” she added.
Patriot’s Pen
In the Patriot’s Pen essay contest for sixth to eighth graders, last year’s champion, Moshe Sikkel, won again. However, he could not make it to the awards ceremony because he had to play an important soccer game. It was his mother, Thu, who received the first-place medal and the $275 cash prize on her son’s behalf.
Conducted nationwide, Patriot’s Pen gives competitors an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme.
This year’s theme was “My Pledge to our Veterans.”
Placing second in the Patriot’s Pen essay writing contest was SIS student Aubrey Paige A. White who brought home $190 cash and a medal.
Phoenix Sapphire Gross, also of SIS, placed third and received $85 cash and a medal.
VFW Post 347 Commander Robert DeRocher said they really appreciate the participating students’ hard work and efforts.
“They all did an awesome job,” he said, adding that the judges had a tough time deciding who the winners were because the young competitors “are all so great.”
