VFW Post 3783 - Programs


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VOICE OF DEMOCRACY
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JIM SUZUKI, CHAIRMAN
3204 Crescent Avenue
Marina, CA 93933
(831) 384-8493 -- FAX (831) 384-8177

VOICE OF DEMOCRACY PROGRAM - 2001-2002

“REACHING OUT TO AMERICA’S FUTURE”

     The Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program is a national broadcast script writing competition conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States together with its Ladies Auxiliary. The theme for 2001-2002 is “Reaching Out To America’s Future”.

     Our Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program is conducted annually during the fall term of the school year. Eligibility Criteria: Any students in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 attending public, private or parochial schools to include students participating in the "Home Study Program" with the exception of Exchange Students are eligible to participate in the Voice of Democracy Program.

     The Voice of Democracy Program is launched in May with a mailing of the student brochure announcing the theme and listing the national scholarship awards. This mailing is made to school principles and radio/TV broadcasters, VFW Commanders and Auxiliary Presidents at all levels. The student brochures may also be obtained by contacting the Emblem and Supply Merchandise Department at our National Headquarters (816) 756-3390.

     The 2001-2002 Voice of Democracy Program Guidebook outlines our program to the fullest. This booklet will be made available in early July 2001. Chairmen at all levels to include our Chairperson from the Ladies Auxiliary are urged to become familiar with all details of our program. This booklet is a complete booklet that outlines our program in its entirety. I urge you to get yourself familiarized with the contents of this year’s program booklet so that you can carry out your duties in assisting the students in your area to take part in our Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program.

     During the 2000-2001 Voice of Democracy Year, your attention was invited to the fact that we were not receiving the support from our school teachers/administrators that we were receiving in the year’s past. Some of the complaints that we have received from our Post Chairman were such as -- they could not offer the VOD program because they could not get their schools to participate -- teachers were unwilling to help support our program in their classes. Upon investigating these complaints, we now believe that “school participation” is a total misnormer. Schools are not participating -- students are the ones that participate. In further looking into these complaints, we found that schools were not conducting our program on a school-wide competition. Chairman oftentimes were satisfied if they could find one (1) student to represent an entire high school when no other students in the school were even approached or made aware of the opportunity.

     In view of the above, our Voice of Democracy Program will no longer be identified as a “School Program”. It will now be identified as a “Post Program” and each Post will have the opportunity to advance their top student essay(s) up to the next level of competition based on the number of students who actually participated in the Post’s Competition: Chairmen at the Post Level will continue to encourage and solicit students in schools of their choice with or without the support of the school teachers or administrators. Contact Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Home Schooled student, Cheerleaders, ball teams, Naval Sea Cadets, JROTC units, Civil Air Patrol Cadets, church groups, etc… any age-appropriate youth group.

     SPONSORSHIP: More than one (1) Post may conduct the Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program in a school. However, the student will be allowed to take part in the Post of the student’s choice program. Yes, the Auxiliary can conduct the program if the Post does not.

     CO-SPONSORSHIP: In view of the above, Co-Sponsorship (more than one Post) is no longer permissible when there is only one school and multiple Post’s in an area.

     The following QUOTA SYSTEM will be used to advance Post Winner(s) on to the second level (district) of the Voice of Democracy Competition.

1-25 Student Participants - 1 Top Post Entry is allowed to advance (minimum)

26-50 Student Participants - 2 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance**

51-75 Student Participants - 3 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance**

76-150 Student Participants - 4 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance**

151- 225 Student Participants - 5 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance**

226-300 Student Participants - 6 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance**

301- 375 Student Participants - 7 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance**

376 + Student Participants - 8 Top Post Entries are allowed to advance (maximum)

** All multiple entries that are allowed to advance to the next level of competition from the Post level must receive equivalent awards and/or status at the Post level.

     NOTE: If a Post does not wish to select the above method of advancing their top entry(s), then the following single option can be applied:

     OPTION: A Post can elect to hold a Post judging and advance the one student selected as their first place winner. Any student declared as a 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , 5 th , etc., place Post winner cannot advance to the next level of competition regardless of the number of students entered.

THIS IMPROVED METHOD OF SELECTING WINNERS AND ENCOURAGING STUDENTS PARTICIPATION WILL ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING

     The competition will become more fair and equitable.

     A separate single panel of judges will judge students at each level of the competition (Post/District & Department).

     Post Chairmen will be encouraged to increase the number of student entries as the number of winners their Post can advance will be determined by the number of students that actually participate.

     In Posts where there is large student participation from several schools, home schooled, etc., the top 1-8 entries will be allowed to advance based on total student participation (even if they are all from the same school). The very best written essays will advance. Winners will be selected based on the best essays… not on the basis of being the only student entered from the school they attend.

     When a Post has the luxury of multiple school winners (student entries of 28 on up), the Post Chairmen have the opportunity to:

     Select and give equal recognition to top contestants as they are advanced to the next level based on the number of students participating.

     Select, award and announce 1 st place, 2 nd place, 3rd place Post winners, etc., and advance on the declared 1 st place winner. (When a Post declares one student to be either winner, it is unfair to     advance additional contestants that have been declared to be second best.)

     No student will be announced and/or selected as the Post 1 st place winner and then be required to again compete (at the next advanced level) on an equal basis against students they have already defeated at the Post level. No student should suffer the embarrassment of being eliminated in the second level of competition by a student they have already defeated at a lower end of competition.

     Several Posts in any given area can offer the competition (even in the same school) allowing the students to decide which Post competition they will enter. Co-sponsoring between Posts will no longer be permissible.

     Every student will be required to fill out a simple entry form and will only be allowed to enter the competition one time in one Post competition each year.

JUDGING PROCEDURE: Chairmen at all levels will adhere to the following procedures.

     It is recommended that local members of the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary who may be familiar with their schools, teachers and students do serve as judges. Professional personnel with a background in broadcasting, teaching, journalism or related fields will increase the dimension of judging. The Chairman will be present at all judging to provide assistance or answer questions that may arise. Selection of the winners will be the sole responsibility of the judges.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

November 1, 2001- Submission of all student entries to Posts/Auxiliaries. Packet to include:
     a) Student Official Entry Form
     b) Student Biographical Questionnaire
     c) National Parental/Guardian Release Form
     d) Typed copy of student essay (double spaced)
     e) Essay tape (all scripts should be recorded on standard cassette tape using good quality equipment at all times). The tape must be clear of any background noises. Students are encouraged to make use their local TV/Radio stations for recording the essay.

All Post judging must be completed by November 30, 2001.

     All District judging should not take place until December 1-15, 2001 but must be completed by December 15, 2001.

     Chairman of Post, Auxiliary and District will be responsible to audit the judges tally sheets immediately upon completion of the judging. Audit of the tally sheet will be conducted in the presence of all judges. If an error is noted, it will be brought to the attention of the judges and corrected immediately. At no time will the audit of the judges tally sheet be delayed for any reason.

     Upon completion of the District judging, the District Chairman will forward the District Winner’s packet to the State Chairman, Voice of Democracy Program. Prior to forwarding the above packet, the District Chairman will have the District Winner complete the State Parental/Guardian Release Form and include this document in the winner’s packet.

               Mail packet to:           Jim Suzuki, State Chairman
                                                 Voice of Democracy Program
                                                 3204 Crescent Avenue
                                                 Marina, CA 93933

     District winner’s tapes will be judged at the Department Headquarters on January 9, 2002.

CONTEST AWARDS

     POST: We must have an incentive for the students to take part in our Voice of Democracy Program. Today, the students who take part in any scholarship program do it for the sole purpose of gaining additional funds to defray expenses in their quest to obtain their college education. Every available assistance should be made available to award your winners with cash awards at the conclusion of your program. Many Posts and Auxiliaries have an Awards Night at their Post home to honor their students, parents and teachers. Some make their awards at the schools. Whatever it may be, we encourage you to recognize your students with a formal awards presentation.

     DISTRICT: District should also recognize their District winners with a cash scholarship awards and citations. To help the District, your Department of California has established a program to recognize all twenty-five (25) District winners with an all expense-paid trip to Sacramento. They will be a guest of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California and visit the State Capitol, meet the Governor, if available, and talk with their legislators and tour many other sites of Sacramento. Each student will receive $20.00 upon arrival. To help defray expenses, Districts are asked to donate $200.00 to the Department of California.

     STATE: The First Place Winner for the State of California will receive a cash award of $2,000.00. In addition your Department winner will be awarded with a five (5) day all expense- paid trip to Washington, DC in April 2002. Our First Place Winner will also take part with other Department Voice of Democracy winners in a trip to Freedom Foundation located in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in June 2002. Department pays the transportation and costs for the Valley Forge trip. The winner and their parents will also be our guest at the State Convention Banquet in June 2002. In addition to the above, there will also be four runner-up prizes of $1,000.00 each. All prizes will be paid in cash. No bonds.

     SACRAMENTO VOICE OF DEMOCRACY TRIP - All District Winners will be provided an all expense-paid trip courtesy of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California to our State Capitol. Inclusive dates of this trip will be from January 10, 2002 to January 13, 2002.

     Announcement of Department Winners - Department Winners will be announced at the Department Official Voice of Democracy Award Banquet. The banquet will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2002 at the Red Lion Sacramento Inn, Sacramento, California.

     REPORTS: It is the responsibility of the District Voice of Democracy Chairman to complete the District Voice of Democracy Participation Report Form and Summary immediately upon completion of the District judging. The required report form is fo und in the Voice of Democracy Program Guidebook. The guidelines in preparing this report is also found in the Program Guidebook.

     NOTE: Upon completion of the above reports, all Posts/Auxiliaries who did not sponsor a student, but donated funds to either their District Voice of Democracy Fund or the Department of California Ladies Auxiliary Voice of Democracy Fund, will be listed separately. They will be credited with participating in the Department Voice of Democracy Program only. These Posts/Auxiliaries will be listed in numerical order using the same format as listed above. The cash donation will be reported under the “Additional Funds Expended” Column of the District Report Form.