Brick Memorial Trio Honored In VFW Essay Contest

BRICK, NJ — Three students from Brick Memorial High School have received scholarship awards in the annual Voice of Democracy competition.

The contest, operated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization, requires students to write an essay on a topic picked by the national American Legion organization. The theme for 2016-17 is "My Responsibility to America."

Each local VFW — including Post 8867 in Brick — holds a competition. The winners of the local contest continue to the county competition. Those winners go to the state competition. A national winner is chosen from among the state winners, with a $30,000 scholarship on the line.

The winning students then deliver their essay as a speech as well.

The following Brick Memorial students were honored: First place, Kyle Desiderio; second place, Alyssa Nicolas; third place, Leah Scarpelli.

Desiderio also took second place at the Ocean County contest and will be honored at an awards ceremony later this year, school officials said.

Pictured with the award recipients is Ken Eith, chairman of Post 8867 and the Vice Commander of the Veterans of Foreign War Auxiliary in Brick Township.

Photo via Brick Township Schools