Local VFW winner places 3rd in district competition

BY JENNIFER BOOTON Staff Writer

Ben Goldman Ben Goldman SOUTH BRUNSWICK — For the first time in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9111 history, a local contest winner has placed at a district-level competition.

Ben Goldman, 17, a junior at South Brunswick High School, won the Voice of Democracy on the local level and placed third in the district competition.

“Ben is the very first contest winner here who has ever [received] an award from the district,” said Mike Ketofsky, post chaplain, who is in charge of the Voice of Democracy and the Women’s Auxiliary.

Ketofsky noted that he was very impressed at Goldman’s dedication to his education.

The VFW Post 9111 held a ceremony April 13 honoring Goldman for his achievement. Goldman and his Advanced Placement U.S. history teacher, Corie Gaylord, who was responsible for getting Goldman involved with the program, were awarded plaques by the post members.

“The VFW is very proud of what you have done,” said Tim Noonan, post commander.

After the ceremony, in which Goldman read his award-winning speech in front of his family, friends and post members, Goldman noted that he was honored to have the opportunity to read his speech in front of the post members, especially since they were the ones who selected him in the first place. He added that he was not expecting the plaque.

The Voice of Democracy is a national scholarship program that has garnered millions of dollars for students since its inception 50 years ago. The program has high school students across the country write and submit a three- to five-minute audio-essay based off an annual theme that focuses on patriotism.

his year’s topic was “Does America Still Have Heroes?” and Goldman chose to concentrate his theme on heroism as an everyday occurrence.

“Heroism is not always just the brave and miraculous things but also the little things,” Goldman said. “During times of urgent need Americans are always quick to act. … We are a country full of heroes.”

In a previous interview held after he won the local level competition, Goldman noted that heroism is not just the people who have gone down famously in history, like Paul Revere, but it is the little things, like when people offered their homes to others after Hurricane Katrina.

“It’s the heroic acts that are not celebrated nationally, you don’t usually hear about them,” he said. “It’s the small things, the small acts people do that have characteristics of a hero.”

Goldman said he decided to partake in the competition, upon learning of it nearly a week before the deadline, because he figured he had something to contribute to the topic.

The high school junior said he believes the Voice of Democracy contest is very important because it promotes civic virtue and gets students across the country involved in a patriotic program.

Gaylord, who also teaches U.S. History and Vietnam Era at the high school, said she encourages her students to get involved in the program every year.

“Each year I encourage students to enter, I believe it’s a very valuable experience for them,” she said. “The program always has really good reflective questions that makes them think.”

The audio format of the competition also helps the students to “develop life skills” because they are simultaneously working on their writing and public-speaking skills, Gaylord said.

Goldman noted, during his speech, that America is full of everyday heroes, which is reflected in their continuous care for the sick and weary, especially during times of great tragedy.

“We are a nation of heroes, we always have been, we always will be, don’t let anyone think otherwise,” he said.

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