Fernley, NV, November 22, 2013
The VFW Post 10247 and Ladies Auxiliary of Fernley, NV is pleased to announce that Kacie Meisner, a 6th Grade student at Fernley Intermediate School, is the Post’s First-place winner of the VFW 2013 – 2014 Patriot’s Pen essay contest. Kacie wrote her winning essay based on this year’s theme, “What Patriotism Means to Me”. The Post commander also announced the Second and Third Place winner in the essay contest, Lars Dars and Hazin Bennett respectively, also 6th graders at the Fernley Intermediate School.
Left to Right: Front Row: Lars Dars – 2nd place, Hazin Bennett – 3rd Place, Kacie Meisner – 1st Place. Back Row: Douglas Stout – Post Commander VFW #10247, Cathy Wardell – Ladies Aux. #10247 representative.
Sixty-eight students participated in the local competition this year. The essays of the three winners have been forwarded to the District level. If successful at the District and Department Levels, one of these students could be one of the 54 finalists world-wide: one from each of the 51 VFW Departments and one from each of the three overseas VFW Departments (Pacific Areas, Latin America/Caribbean and Europe), to compete at the National level for individual awards, ranging from $500 to $5,000.
The youth essay writing contest is a worldwide competition that gives students in grades 6, 7, and 8 the opportunity to write a 300-400 word theme-based essay expressing their views on democracy.
Douglas Stout, Commander, VFW Post 10247
Fernley VFW Ladies Auxiliary 
