Essays written by three area students have been selected as winners in the Veterans of Foreign Wars annual essay contest.

The 2020-2021 winners of “What is patriotism to me?” were:

• Hahlen Milsted, Brookhaven Academy, third place VFW Post 2618, $25.
• Lindsey Peters, Brookhaven Academy, second place VFW Post 2618, $50.
• Ainsley Cox, Brookhaven Academy, first place VFW Post 2618, $100; first place VFW District 3, $100; VFW State Runner-Up, $100.

Each year more than 165,400 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000!

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.

Interested applicants should contact Greg Marlow at 601-730-8281 or Frank Walters at 601-748-9198.