Voice of Democracy

"Voice of Democracy" (VOD) began in 1946 as a National Association of Broadcasters program. Initially, four winners were selected as national winners and each received a $500 savings bond and a wrist watch.

Interestingly, in the competition's second year, a student by the name of Charles Kuralt, who would become a famous television journalist, was one of the winners. The VFW honored Charles Kuralt, who died in 1998, by naming its second-place $15,000 national scholarship in his memory.

The VFW became the sole sponsor of the Voice of Democracy Contest in 1961. In that year, the total scholarships amounted to $3,750. Today, national scholarships alone total $132,000, with awards and scholarships at all levels amounting to some $2.6 million. After more than a half-century of existence, this premier youth competition is stronger than ever, and it remains the pride of the VFW.