WHS students win scholarships in VFW essay competition

Wimberley’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6441 honored the winners its 2020 Voice of Democracy patriotic essay contest at its monthly post dinner Thursday.

Wimberley High School senior Anika Hawes, sophomore Harrison Mayhew and freshman Brook Sherrill were the top three finishers of the 46 entries this year. They received VFW merit certificates and scholarships in the amount of $2,000 for first place, $1,500 for second and $1,000 for third.

The Voice of Democracy essay competition provides Wimberley area high school students, grades nine-12, with the opportunity to speak out on freedom and democracy. The Voice of Democracy is a VFW-sponsored nationwide, audio-essay competition that requires entrants to write and record a three-to-fiveminute essay on a patriotic-based theme.

In presenting this year’s awards, VFW Post 6441 Voice of Democracy Chair man Kerry Ridgeway singled out WHS History Department Chairman coach of the current events and social studies teams Brad Biggers for his help in encouraging students to enter and screening the entries.

In the past, all of the judging has been by VFW members. This year, teams from the Wimberley Lions Club, Chapel in the Hills, AMVETS and the Wimberley Valley Chamber of Commerce provided the initial judging before sending the entrants to the VFW judges.