HARVEST – Hannah Stanfield has won the Voice of Democracy contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

VFW officials chose Stanfield’s essay and application as overall winner in District 1, which encompasses North Alabama. Vietnam War veteran Com. George Jones, VFW Chief of Staff for Alabama, presented the Voice of Democracy Award to Stanfield. She received cash awards at the post and district levels.

“This is the first essay that I had ever written for a contest or judging,” Stanfield said. At Sparkman High School, career and college counselor Dr. Sharon Clanton recommended that Stanfield enter the contest, based on her ACT writing score.

“I didn’t know about the contest. Dr. Clanton said, ‘Tonight, go home and do this. It’s due tomorrow,” Stanfield said. That night, she wrote the essay and recorded her five-minute speech on the topic, “Is Our Constitution Still Relevant?” “I won second place at the post level and advanced to district, winning first place.”

In her essay, Stanfield wrote, “The Constitution does not only defend the rights of the wealthy, healthy or educated. It also protects the rights of the working poor, small property owners, homeless, middle-class mechanical and agricultural workers, young and elderly.”

Stanfield also was a finalist for a Coca-Cola scholarship and earned a Discus Awards scholarship.

A Sparkman senior, Stanfield is head drum major for the Sparkman Senator Band and won Best in Class nods three consecutive years. She plays French horn in wind ensemble and concert band and participates in the Student Government Association and medical academy. She volunteers with LifeSouth and has earned the Girl Scout Silver and Bronze awards.

Stanfield is a Sparkman Most Commendable Senior and earned presidential and senatorial awards for academic excellence. At Auburn, she performed in honor symphonic and marching bands and received the Conductor Award at summer leadership camp.

She plans to major in nursing at Auburn University. Hannah lives in Harvest with parents Scott and Tammy Stanfield and sisters Erica and Laura.