Christina Messerli, a senior at Brookings High School, was named the VFW and VFW Auxiliary Post No. 2118 first-place winner of the 2024 Voice of Democracy Scholarship program.

Second-place honors went to Jaelyn Moe of Sioux Valley High School and third place was earned by Savana Guthmiller of Sioux Valley High School.

“The Voice of Democracy competition provides high school students with the opportunity to speak out on freedom and democracy,” says VFW Department Commander Darwin Tolzin.

“The program has been popular and successful since its beginning in 1947, and we’re proud to keep offering it to America’s young people.”

The Voice of Democracy is a worldwide audio-essay competition that requires entrants to write and record a 3- to 5-minute essay on a patriotic-based theme. “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision” was this year’s theme.

The first place audio/essay was sent to SD District 4 for further competition. All local schools received electronic information on this contest to distribute to teachers and students.

The National Association of Broadcasters started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. The competition was created to provide students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to express themselves in regard to democratic ideas and principles.

Around 40,000 students participate in the competition each year and VFW awards more than $2.1 million in scholarships every year.