Annamaria Schuermann had an opportunity most of her Colcord, Okla., classmates didn't: to visit Washington, D.C.
Schuermann's trip to the nation's capital was one of the prizes she won from the Veterans of Foreign Wars' Voice of Democracy contest.
The Voice of Democracy allows high school students to express themselves through a recorded essay on a democratic and patriotic theme, according to vfwar.org,
The contest prompts change every year and is open to students in grades 9 through 12. This year's prompt was "Attributes of Our Democracy," Schuermann said.
Recorded essays are first judged by the local VFW post, then the district in which the VFW post is located, followed by the state VFW office, and finally, the national office, Schuermann said.
She advanced to the national level, which included students from all 50 states and students from military families on deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and Puerto Rico, she said.
Schuermann said Gregory Gass, public affairs officer for the Levi Douthit Post 1674, 830 S. Lincoln St. Siloam Springs, told the high school student about the event.
Schuermann said she presented her essay to the VFW post in Siloam Springs in December, and then the recording of Schuermann reading her essay was presented to the district in January.
Schuermann said she read her essay, which was presented at the Mid-Winter Convention in Little Rock on Feb. 3.
The winners' circle was announced in early March, and Schuermann was awarded seventh place. Schuermann said she won a $4,000 scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C.
According to VFW Post 1674 Commander Keith Schultz, participants in the Voice of Democracy contest from all 50 states and two students from deployed families in Europe and Asia went to Washington, D.C.
Schuermann said she spent March 2-6 in Washington, D.C., courtesy of the VFW, which paid for food, lodging, and museum entry fees. Schultz added the VFW paid for transportation as well.
"They paid for like everything," Schuermann said. "And just going and getting to experience that with all those people I met was wonderful."
Schuermann said she and the other students visited Arlington National Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum, the Smithsonian Museum and Spy Museum. Schuermann said the students also took a cruise on the Potomac River, which featured dinner and a dance floor.
While in the nation's capital, Schuermann and her fellow contest winners met past participants in the Voice of Democracy and the VFW National Commander, she said.
Now Schuermann is looking forward to graduation. Schuermann said she wants to pursue a degree in a science field.
Schuermann said she is considering Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., and the University of Tulsa,
"I want to thank all of the guys here at the post and the teachers I've had, plus my friends and family," Schuermann said.