Since 1899, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has supported veterans, their families, and communities nationwide. As a non-profit organization, the VFW provides help with advocacy, education, financial assistance, mental health resources, and more.
The Stoughton VFW is continuing its mission locally by launching its first annual Community Awards to recognize individuals who make a difference. The ceremony and banquet occurred in early March, with nearly all award winners and their families in attendance.
Safety and Recognition Committee Chairman Brian Christensen has been part of the Stoughton VFW Post since 2022 and works at the VA Hospital in Madison and he was affiliated with the first ever Community Awards.
“By all accounts, the first Community Awards event was a huge success. The desire to recognize all these wonderful individuals was so great that we pushed forward with planning and holding the event. We then started planning for this year’s event to ensure we did not miss the opportunity again,” Christensen said.
This year’s award ceremony attracts and awards people of all different ages. Students showcase their ideas and patriotism by competing in the Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Program and the Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Students of the Stoughton Area district get awarded by answering an essay prompt. Winners are selected based on a grading rubric outlined in the application, and a committee reviews and scores the essay using that criteria to average the scores and then determine the winners.
This year, winners in the Patriot’s Pen from first to fourth place were eighth-grade students Austin Murphy, Lily Goplen, Donovan Richards, and Kiya Hill. High School winners in the Voice of Democracy essay from first to second place were tenth-grade student Ethan Mowry and twelfth-grade student Josh Nielsen.
Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen Committee Chairman Adam Wallace has been a member of VFW since 2011 and moved to the Stoughton VFW post in 2020. He currently works at the state, managing VFW affairs and posts. He worked with all the schools in the district to administer the essay portions. “We are looking forward to making this an annual highlight for both the VFW and the community,” Wallace said.
SHS senior Josh Nielsen was awarded 2nd place in his Voice of democracy essay. “I appreciated the chance to participate in the VFW scholarship. I’m sad I didn’t get first, but I was glad I got 2nd. All the people in the VFW running the scholarship were great. I’ve been around the VFW all my life due to my family. I’m just grateful I was able to take part.” Nielsen said.
All first-place winners from each district move on to the state level, where one overall state winner is chosen. From there, state winners compete nationally for the top prizes. The national first-place Patriot’s Pen winner gets $5,000, and the Voice of Democracy winner earns a $35,000 scholarship.
Not only does the VFW represent students, but it also represents teachers from the school district. Teacher of the Year awards were given to each teacher from each school. Elementary school teacher Kari Reiser, Middle School Teacher Susan Zaemisch, and High School Teacher Andrea Oelke were awarded plaques and gift cards for school supplies.
SHS Spanish teacher Andrea Oelke has been a teacher at SHS for six years and feels proud to be welcomed as a part of the Stoughton community. “I was nominated by the administration, and I was then invited to a dinner where I was recognized by other wonderful teachers and public servants with a plaque and a prize,” Oelke said.
The public servant awards were given to individuals from law enforcement, dispatchers, emergency medical services, and the fire department. “There are so many great students, teachers, and first responders in our community that deserve recognition,” Christensen said.
