Sant Bani School senior and Meredith resident Chapin Evans was named the winner of the Franklin VFW’s Voice of Democracy (VOD) essay and speech contest. This year the theme for the contest was “Does America still have heroes?”

Each year the VOD chooses a broad theme that revolves around patriotism, allowing the student flexibility and originality in their audio-essay. The VOD program is designed to instill patriotism in high school students by allowing them to explore their feelings about the topic and to give them a platform on which to speak.

Evans decided to prepare an essay after VFW 1698 Ladies Auxiliary chairman Mary Freeman and the Post chairman Neil Beaupre came to Sant Bani School to invite participation by the high school students. The first-place essay winners of the individual VFW Posts are then forwarded to the next level, the NH State Dept. of the VFW. Each individual state’s first place winner is chosen to compete on the National level in Washington, D.C.

The National first-place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship, paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college, or vocational/technical school. Other prizes range from $1,000 to $16,000, and each VFW department’s first-place winner receives an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. (sponsored by Target).

The Voice of Democracy scholarship program was created in 1947. It offers students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to present an audio-essay to local VFWs. The essay, one that gives the student’s own opinions about the theme, is 3-5 minutes long.

Evans, a member of Sant Bani School’s senior class, has been accepted at the University of Michigan. She is the daughter of David and Joyce Evans and has a younger brother, Harrison, who also attends Sant Bani School in Sanbornton.