Manchester Township High School senior, Andrew Dodd, is the state winner of the 2018-19 VFW Voice of Democracy Contest. Andrew will represent New Jersey at the national competition in Washington, D.C. this March, vying for a $30,000 scholarship prize.
Lakehurst VFW Post 10061 sponsors the contest locally. Post Commander Joe Whelan said that Andrew won the district competition and then went on to win the state competition with his audio essay on this year’s topic, “Why My Vote Matters.” Andrew won a $5,000 scholarship as the New Jersey winner. Whelan said that this is Andrew’s second win on the district level.
Whelan and VFW Post 10061 Trustees, Frank Stack and Ray Gibson, recently visited MTHS to congratulate Andrew and present the state VFW traveling plaque that lists all past winners’ names with Andrew’s name added for this year. It will hang in the school until next year, when the plaque will go to the 2019-20 state winner. At that time, the school will receive a new plaque commemorating Andrew’s accomplishment.
Andrew said he is looking forward to competing in Washington this March.
