Voice of Democracy finalist represents Silver Valley well
VFW Post Commander Chris Marker presents Kellogg High School senior Aaron Lehto with a plaque celebrating his District I win in the VFW's Voice of Democracy essay competition. Kellogg School District Superintendent Dr. Nancy Larsen was on hand to help commemorate the occasion.
Courtesy photo
KELLOGG — Charles Pickering once said, “A healthy democracy requires a decent society; it requires that we are honorable, generous, tolerant, and respectful.”
Perhaps nothing embodies this like Kellogg High School senior Aaron Lehto, who recently finished in fourth place at the state level of the Voice of Democracy essay competition.
VFW Post 1675 Commander Chris Marker along with Kellogg School District Superintendent Dr. Nancy Larsen, presented Lehto with his prize money and awards for winning the District I contest (District I consists of Idaho's five northern counties) and then placing at the state level.
All in all, Lehto walked away with $375 and some pretty cool recognition, including the $75 that he won at the local level, $100 for his win at the district level, and then $200 for placing at the state level.
“Aaron was our first local kid that’s won outside of the Silver Valley and then gone past the District level in 25 years,” Marker said.
The local VFW post partnered with Kellogg High School government teacher Tori Sheppard in hopes to garner more interest and it worked out as they received 35 entries — and Marker hopes that other local kids will see Lehto’s success and participate in the future.
“We would really like to get more kids involved, including some kids from Wallace and Mullan to go along with the kids in Kellogg,” Marker said. “The more essays we receive, the more winners we can submit to the higher levels of competition.”
Unfortunately, Lehto's journey in the competition won't get to the national level, but his success throughout Idaho is definitely something to be proud of.
Established in 1947, the Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regard to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay.
Each year, nearly 64,500 9th- to 12th-grade students from across the country enter to win their share of more than $2.1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the program.
The national first place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school.