(L to R) Rebecca Moss (SMS), Cathy Milstead (VFW), Annabelle McMullan, Ella K Seal, Michelle Marie Billig . Dorrie Mascolo (VFW), Rebecca Heinz (SMS)
Jan. 16, 2026- Shallotte, N. C- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Calabash Post #7288 Auxiliary President, Cathy Milstead, and Patriotic Instructor Dorrie Mascolo visited the Shallotte Middle School on Friday January 16. They were proud to present the VFW Patriot Pen winners with certificates and scholarship checks.
The VFW Calabash Post #7288 is the local sponsor of the VFW's national Patriot Pen Scholarship Essay program and worked with Jennifer Cheers and Rebecca Heinz, the Shallotte Middle School teachers who supervised this program for their students at Shallotte Middle School.
The awards were presented to three students at Shallotte Middle School. Ella K Seal was awarded first place, winning $200, Annabelle McMullan won second place taking home $150 and third place went to Michelle Marie Billig who was awarded $100. All three winners essays were judged and chosen from a dozen entries. They were excited to win and were very appreciative.
The patriots Pen program is a youth scholarship essay contest open to students in grade 6 to 8. Each year, over 60,000 students nationwide enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen contest for a chance to win scholarship awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000!
The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300 to 400 word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme. The 2025-26 theme is “How are you showing patriotism, and support for our country?.”
Students interested in participating in the 2026/27 contest, to be conducted during the fall semester, should ask their teachers to contact the VFW Calabash Post 7288 for more information.
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