Each year, more than 4,000 high school students from across the country participate in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. The contest began in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth.

This contest comprises only two-dimensional entries. The 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest is exclusively for three-dimensional art pieces.

• Students in grades 9-12 by the March 31 deadline who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States, its territories and possessions; or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools.
• Although U.S. citizenship is not required, students must be permanent residents or have applied for permanent residence status (the application for which has not been denied) to become a U.S. citizen.
• Foreign exchange students, students age 20 or older, GED and adult education students, or national winners of previous Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contests are ineligible.