Each year across the great nation, a contest is held and sponsored by the VFW called the Voice of Democracy. This contest does not really have a school affiliation, and is not required of students, nonetheless, each state crowns a winner and I need to share the story. This year, the finalist representing the state of Ohio was Springfield senior Lydia Bal.
The main part of the contest is an audio essay. Not only does a student have to compose their essay, but then they have to record the reading for submission. Lydia’s submission was about the ideals of Thomas Jefferson. She shared, “what inspired my audio subject the most was the Thomas Jefferson quote that stated the U.S. Constitution is to, ‘be handed on, with periodical repairs from generation to generation, to the end of time.’ The essay prompt asked if America today fits our forefathers vision and this quote stuck out to me because it proves that the forefathers expected America to change over time, so while they might not have predicted all the modern advancements, America certainly fits this vision.”
As part of winning and representing the state of Ohio, Lydia traveled to Washington D.C. with the other state winners to compete in an overall national competition and to celebrate the hard work involved in this competition. In speaking about her trip, Lydia stated, “The best thing about the Washington D.C. trip was visiting Arlington Cemetery, because it was not only beautiful, but it also holds so much history. I was able to see and appreciate all the sacrifices made to keep our country safe and felt very immersed in the history. One of the best parts about this trip was having the opportunity to meet and talk with the other representatives from almost every state. I would also like to share how grateful I am to the VFW for this amazing opportunity and all of their generosity.”
Lydia represents so much of the positive future that we are going to enjoy because of our young people. To hear her recording, go to https://heroes.vfw.org/page/ 165108/action/1?_ga=2.252 932992.807942297.174100 7931520044156.174100793 1&fbclid=IwY2xjawJBZr FleHRuA2FlbQIxMAAB HZnVU9YqW3nUqHKc0m Ky93vi0cWGR0nAHD vOG468Ae1hYwob_eB65_ mbQA_aem_udNVnzw vANVWW0Rb6jaLNw Young leaders like Lydia are going to do so much for future generations.
