Minot student brings home national scholarship

South Prairie sophomore Gracie Rauschenberger achieved national success by placing ninth in the Veteran of Foreign Wars' audio-essay program, Voice of Democracy.

The Voice of Democracy program doles out scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $35,000, paid directly to each winner's college or vocational school of choice. Applicants submit an audio-essay to their local VFW posts following a set theme each year. The 2022-2023 theme was "Why is the Veteran Important?"

"A veteran has put their life into situations that made surviving look impossible, and they did it willingly, so that people like me can lie in bed at night and feel safe. I wake up in the morning and forget all about the dangers in the world. And that feeling is because of the veterans who gave up everything to keep our country a safe place to live. From people I've never met, I've been given a sense of security that can't be taken away. Veterans have gifted me with safety," Rauschenberger wrote in her speech.

Rauschenberger submitted her audio-essay to VFW Post #735, which selected her to move on to N.D. VFW District Three. From there she was chosen to advance to state. She placed first and advanced further to nationals. Placing ninth nationally, Rauschenberger earned the $3,500 Department of New York and Auxiliary, Rev. Albert G. Salmon Memorial Scholarship. In addition to post, district and state-level scholarships, she brought home more than $5,000 for her future education.

"I never thought I was going to do as well as well as I ended up doing. It came as a surprise," said Rauschenberger.

In addition to scholarship funds, each state-level winner is invited to Washington, D.C., to be honored at the Parade of Winners, where national rankings of Voice of Democracy are announced. During their trip to the Capitol, the VFW treated the young patriots to many tours, including the Arlington National Cemetery, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Spy Museum, the Capital Building and Mount Vernon. The VFW also sent the students on a nighttime bus tour of historical memorials, and on their final night in Washington they had a dance on an evening riverboat cruise down the Potomac River.

Rauschenberger also was invited to the VFW's state mid-winter conference in Bismarck to read her speech.

"Writing about stuff like this is really interesting to me -- the effect that veterans have on our nation -- but also the effect that their service has on them. It was a really interesting experience reading my speech at (the VFW mid-winter conference) because I'm standing up at this podium with my paper and I'm speaking to veterans on why I think they're important," Rauschenberger said.

A recent opportunity that came from Rauschenberger's success was an invitation to attend The Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge's Spirit of America Youth Leadership program. The program is a four-day retreat for high school students to participate in workshops, a mock congressional debate, free enterprise challenges and other activities that hone students' leadership skills.

Rauschenberger's speech reflects on the pillars of character that a veteran demonstrates and the impact that their service has not only on the lives of U.S. citizens but on the veterans themselves.

"Both my grandpa and great-grandpa are veterans. My great-grandpa fought in World War 2 and my grandpa fought in Vietnam. Both have countless stories of unforgettable moments from their time in service. These memories are both good and bad, and some stories are too painful to relive. Through their service, however, they gained a brotherhood with the men they fought alongside, becoming a second family to one another. All political and religious differences were set aside for the good of our country. A veteran has learned what really matters and knows not to let small disagreements distract from a main goal. A veteran is a symbol of unity," Rauschenberger wrote in her speech.