Published: November 13, 2008 01:06 pm         

Lindsay students win VOD scholarships

For over 30 years, students at Lindsay High School have participated in the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) Voice of Democracy (VOD) scholarship program.

According to VFW’s official website, VOD is an audio essay contest created in 1947 for high school students. The contest provides more than $3 million annually in scholarships. Students compete at local, district, state and national levels and the first place winner overall receives a $30,000 scholarship to be paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school of choice.

This year, 12 students from Lindsay competed with senior Nick Bezner placing first, senior Kendall Neu placing second and sophomore Madison Parkhill placing third at the local level. The entry deadline was Nov. 1 and this year’s theme was "Service and sacrifice by America’s Veterans benefit today’s youth by..."

During Tuesday’s Veterans Program, hosted by Lindsay High School’s Student Council and held at the high school, both Bezner and Neu shared their essays with fellow students, staff and area veterans.

"In my essay, I talked about the birth rights we have today and how armies of our past instilled fear in our enemies," said first place winner Bezner who will go on to compete at the district level. "Serving is a good thing because it gives us safety and security."

Bezner has participated in VOD for three years and said his primary inspiration comes from his own family members who served.

"Both my grandpas were in the military and they’re just good working people," said Bezner. "I just wanted to honor what they gave for their country."

Neu also has participated in VOD for three years and has veterans in her own family as well, including her grandfather and two uncles.

"I tried to focus mine on our every day rights that we don’t really realize that we have," said Neu. "We’re born with them, so we don’t really know how many veterans fought for our rights."

Although this was Parkhill’s first year to compete in VOD, he shared the same enthusiasm and pride for veterans.

"I have a lot of people who have served in my family too," said Parkhill. "My great grandpa fought in the Battle of Midway and my great uncle was in the Marines. I have visited the navel academy and liked it a lot, so I might end up there someday."

To learn more about VOD or the VFW, please visit www.vfw.org.

Besides the VOD essay presentations, the Lindsay Veterans Day Program also featured a presentation of colors by Eagle Scout and student council member John Sweeney, a senior, and a performance of the National Anthem by senior and student council member KyLeigh Zimmere. Student council president Pooja Patel, a senior, planned the event and student council member Kyle Johnson, a sophomore, made the programs.