The Cooke Young Scholars Program application opens in just a few short weeks on February 6. Each year, the Cooke Foundation selects a cohort of high-achieving 7th graders to be a part of a pre-college scholarship program, with support that includes:

• Funding for academic and extracurricular opportunities, such as music and art lessons, online classes, and technology.

• Educational advising on making the most of the high school experience and preparing to thrive at the nation's top colleges.

• Annual summer programs, plus year-round interaction and networking with a community of high-achieving peers.

Be sure to add these important dates to your calendar:

February 5, 2026 - Application opens

Learn more about the Young Scholars Program on our website or download the program profile here.

Reach out to us with any questions via email at scholarships@jkcf.org. We hope you will consider applying, or share this opportunity with any students and families who may be eligible.

2025-2026 Patriots Pen Theme

"How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?"

WHAT IS THE PATRIOT’S PEN?

Conducted nationwide, this VFW-sponsored youth essay competition encourages students to use their minds and knowledge of America’s history and their experience of today’s American society to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. We invite you to join more than 120,000 students who participated last year in this contests.

Patriot’s Pen gives 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills, while they compete for awards and prizes. The awards from all levels of the competition total $1.2 million each year. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on their National Advisory List of Contests for participation. The theme for the Annual VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay is "What is Patriotism To Me." The contest is open to all students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades in public, private, parochial schools, as well as, home-schooled children in the United States and its territories or its possessions and dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools. Former first place state winners are not eligible to compete again. Foreign exchange students and adults are not eligible to compete. Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be lawful U.S. permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence (the application cannot have been denied) and intends to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law. Brochures on the program were mailed to all Post Commanders and Auxiliary Presidents. Schools should be contacted as soon as they open for the current year in order that the teachers can include the contest in the lesson plans. Posts are responsible for giving their area schools Patriot’s Pen pamphlets. You can check the program on the web at www.vfw.org/patriotspen to see requirements and print the entry forms.

ESSAY RULES AND GUIDELINES:

· Must be TYPED in English, BLACK INK ONLY

· Must be 300-400 words in length. Word count does NOT include the title or footnotes.

· NO Graphics allowed

· Contestants will NOT identify themselves within their essay to include, but not limited to, their name, school, city, state, race, or national origin.

· Official entry form included with Essay. Form may be printed online at www.vfw.org

· Three typed copies of the Essay

VERY IMPORTANT:

POST CHAIRMAN SHOULD pursue a notice in local media.

Posts may submit one winning entry to the District for judging. 

Districts may submit one winning entry to the Department Chairman.

 2025-2026 Entry Form

PATRIOT’S PEN Deadlines:

Midnight, October 31, Entries to the Post

November 20 - Entries due to the District

December 5 - District Winners due to Department Chairman

Patriots Pen Requirements: 

Patriots Pen National Awards List

DO NOT mail District entries and required forms to State Headquarters.  Mail them directly to the State Patriot’s Pen Chairman!

POST PARTICIPATION REPORT FORM

Click Here

DISTRICT PARTICIPATION REPORTING FORM (by POST):

Click Here

DISTRICT VOD / PP WINNER REPORT:

Click Here