Andrew Ge earned 1st Place and a $5000 scholarship!
San Ramon Eighth Grade Student Earned 1st Place at the National VFW Patriot's Pen Competition for the 2025-26 Competition Year!
Media Contact: Patrick Leary
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (816) 225-1805
DANVILLE, Calif. — Andrew Ge, an eighth-grade student in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, has earned the national first-place award in the 2025–2026 Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot’s Pen® youth essay contest.
Each year, more than 800,000 students in grades six through eight enter the Patriot’s Pen contest for a chance to win more than $1 million in local, state, and national awards. The national first-place winner receives $5,000.
This year’s theme, “How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?”, inspired Andrew’s winning essay. He was sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 75 in Danville, California.
Andrew’s achievement is a proud honor for his family, his school, and the local community, and reflects the VFW’s commitment to promoting patriotism, civic responsibility, and youth leadership. You can read his essay and/or watch Andrew deliver it at the National Contest.
For more information about the VFW Patriot’s Pen program, please contact Patrick Leary at the information above and plan to register below if you are eligible to compete for the 2026-27 School Year.
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We welcome public, private, and home school students in our service area (which includes Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon) to compete! If you are outside of our service area, you may be able to find a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post covering your area through the national VFW headquarters: https://www.vfw.org
Voice of Democracy Speech Contest
Our Voice of Democracy speech contest is for High School Students in the service area covered by VFW Post 75 which includes Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon.
If your are attending high school (grades 9 through 12) in our service area, please register via ScholarsApp (click the "Qualify" button after reading the provided information) to obtain your place to compete and submit your entry not later than October 31, 2026.
Patrot's Pen Essay Contest
Our Patriot's Pen essay contest is for Middle School Students in the service area covered by VFW Post 75 which includes Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon. If you are outside of our service area, you may be able to find a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post covering your area through the national VFW headquarters: https://www.vfw.org
If your are attending Middle School (grades 6 through 8) in our service area, please register via ScholarsApp (click the "Qualify" button after reading the provided information) to obtain your place to compete and submit your entry not later than October 31, 2026.
You can learn more about the Veterans of Foreign Wars Scholarship programs by visiting the headquarters website.
Please feel free to contact our Scholarship Contest Committee if you have any questions.
Media Contact: Patrick Leary
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (816) 225-1805
DANVILLE, Calif. — Andrew Ge, an eighth-grade student in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, has earned the national first-place award in the 2025–2026 Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot’s Pen® youth essay contest.
Each year, more than 800,000 students in grades six through eight enter the Patriot’s Pen contest for a chance to win more than $1 million in local, state, and national awards. The national first-place winner receives $5,000.
This year’s theme, “How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?”, inspired Andrew’s winning essay. He was sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 75 in Danville, California.
Andrew’s achievement is a proud honor for his family, his school, and the local community, and reflects the VFW’s commitment to promoting patriotism, civic responsibility, and youth leadership. You can read his essay and/or watch Andrew deliver it at the National Contest.
For more information about the VFW Patriot’s Pen program, please contact Patrick Leary at the information above and plan to register below if you are eligible to compete for the 2026-27 School Year.
================
We welcome public, private, and home school students in our service area (which includes Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon) to compete! If you are outside of our service area, you may be able to find a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post covering your area through the national VFW headquarters: https://www.vfw.org
Voice of Democracy Speech Contest
Our Voice of Democracy speech contest is for High School Students in the service area covered by VFW Post 75 which includes Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon.
If your are attending high school (grades 9 through 12) in our service area, please register via ScholarsApp (click the "Qualify" button after reading the provided information) to obtain your place to compete and submit your entry not later than October 31, 2026.
Patrot's Pen Essay Contest
Our Patriot's Pen essay contest is for Middle School Students in the service area covered by VFW Post 75 which includes Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon. If you are outside of our service area, you may be able to find a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post covering your area through the national VFW headquarters: https://www.vfw.org
If your are attending Middle School (grades 6 through 8) in our service area, please register via ScholarsApp (click the "Qualify" button after reading the provided information) to obtain your place to compete and submit your entry not later than October 31, 2026.
You can learn more about the Veterans of Foreign Wars Scholarship programs by visiting the headquarters website.
Please feel free to contact our Scholarship Contest Committee if you have any questions.