Woolwich Senior Awarded Top VFW National Scholarship
Drewniak takes home first place and the $35,000 scholarship prize
PHILADELPHIA (April 11, 2026) – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce Olivia Drewniak, a high school senior at Morse High School in Bath, Maine, has been named the national winner and recipient of the first place $35,000 T.C. Selman Memorial Scholarship award in its 2025-2026 Voice of Democracy scholarship program.
For the first time in two decades, the national winners were announced at a special 79th annual Parade of Winners ceremony held at the historic Union League of Philadelphia during the winners’ trip to Founding Forward’s Spirit of America Youth Leadership experience at Valley Forge. The trip, awarded to every VFW Department (state) winner, was sponsored byTwisted X.
VFW Junior Vice Commander Glenn Umberger Jr. and VFW Auxiliary President Lois Callahan were joined by Twisted X Senior Director of Sales Clayton Smith to announce this year’s winners and present Drewniak with the top prize. Drewniak was sponsored by Pitman-Morrison VFW Post 7738 located in Bath. Following the announcement,Drewniak delivered her winning essay on this year’s thought-provoking theme, "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?”Read her winning essay.
Open to eligible high school students in ninth through 12th grades, the Voice of Democracy contest requires entrants to write and record a three- to five-minute essay on a democratic, patriotic theme. Nearly 28,000 high school students entered this year’s competition, with 52 national finalists vying for their share of a combined $1.6 million in local, state and national scholarships and awards.
See the complete list of 2026 Voice of Democracy national winners.
The Voice of Democracy competition theme for 2026-2027 asks students to answer, "What a Veteran Taught Me About America.” To learn more about the programs or to download the entry form, visitvfw.org/YouthScholarships.
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About the VFW:The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation's largest and most established major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.3 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim "NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website atvfw.org.
PHOTO CUTLINE: VFW Junior Vice Commander Glenn Umberger Jr. (left) and VFW Auxiliary President Lois Callahan (right) present Voice of Democracy first place winner Olivia Drewniak (center) with her $35,000 scholarship during the 2026 Parade of Winners on April 11, 2026, at the Union League in Philadelphia.
