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Academics
Upper School | Gr. 9-12
Severn Students Earn VFW Speech Contest Awards
Throughout the school year, Severn students earned top honors in various speech contests offered by The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
In recognition of these achievements, Severn partnered with VFW local leadership to host an awards ceremony in Price Auditorium, where 17 students were recognized for having placed in the top three in the service organization’s primary competitions. They are the Voice of Democracy, Buddy Poppy, and Loyalty Day contests.
Severn students can get involved in these speaking events through the Severn Oratorical Society, a student-led club that provides opportunities to improve public speaking skills, or as juniors or seniors enrolled in the American Public Address Seminar, a class offered by the English Department and taught by Dr. Baugh.
About the VFW Events
Established in 1947, the Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students the unique opportunity to express themselves by submitting a five-minute audio recording of an original speech on a specific topic. The 2025 Voice of Democracy prompt was, “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”
The Buddy Poppy contest requires students to memorize and recite the poem "In Flanders' Fields" and pay tribute to fallen WWI veterans. The Loyalty Day competition requires students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and then answer questions about May 1, the day the VFW designates to promote the values of American freedom and honor those who protect the nation.
Severn students earned numerous awards in these signature VFW programs at the Post, District, and State levels.
The award winners for 2024-25 are:
Voice of Democracy Awards:
Post #160
Grady Gelston '25 – 1st Place
James Tarallo '25 – 2nd Place
Summer Hilliard '25 – 3rd Place
District 6
Grady Gelston '25 – 2nd Place
Buddy Poppy Awards:
Post #160
James Tarallo ’25 – 1st Place
James Zaremski ’25 – 2nd Place
Summer Hilliard ’25 – 3rd Place
Nick Marquinez ’25 – 4th Place
Post #304
Sophia Melfi ’25 – 1st Place
Mary Pavon ’25 – 2nd Place
Jack Lefever-Farino ’25 – 3rd Place
Post #327
Keegan Wilby ’25 – 1st Place
Grady Gelston ’25 – 2nd Place
Cooper Hamilton’25 – 3rd Place
District 6
James Tarallo ’25 – 1st lace
Sophia Melfi ’25 – 2nd Place
Keegan Wilby ’25 – 3rd Place
Loyalty Day Awards:
Post 160
Harrison Szot ’27 – 1st Place
Elle Maddox ’28 – 2nd Place
Jules Floyd ’26 – 3rd Place
Post 304
McKenna Miller ’25 – 1st Place
Alexander Baker ’26 – 2nd Place
Post 327
Reese Wicker ’26 – 1st Place
Charlie Keuleman ’26 – 2nd Place
District 6
Harrison Szot ’27 – 1st Place
Reese Wicker ’26 – 2nd Place
McKenna Miller ’25 – 3rd Place
Congratulations to all of the Admirals who earned these awards.
