Liddiard awarded $1,000 scholarship in Voice of Democracy national competition ...

Waukon High School junior Sean Liddiard, pictured in the center of the above photo at the State of Iowa competition for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and VFW Auxiliary Voice of Democracy student essay contest where he was awarded first place earlier this year, represented the VFW Department of Iowa at the national level of competition held in early March during the 2018 VFW Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The son of Dan and Kelly Liddiard of Waterville, he was one of 53 finalists for the national level of the essay competition, and he was one of 17 essayists in that national competition to win a $1,000 scholarship, being awarded the Department of Tennessee Cooper T. Holt - John Furgess Scholarship. All 53 national finalists were awarded scholarships ranging from the $30,000 top prize to $1,000 scholarships. Robyn Anzulis of Woodbine, MD represented the VFW Department of Maryland and was awarded the $30,000 T.C. Selman Memorial Scholarship for submitting the top essay in the national contest. Celebrating its 71st year of the essay competition this year, nearly 40,000 students nationwide began the quest to pen the nation's top Voice of Democracy essay, which carried the theme this year of “American History: Our Hope for the Future.” Submitted photo.