Debbie Frei, 17, a senior at Prairie High School at Cottonwood, has won the Voice of Democracy contest for Idaho District 2 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Chairman Carl W. Paul of Kamiah announced yesterday.
Miss Frei’s award marked the fourth consecutive year in which the district winner has come from the Cottonwood area, Paul said. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Frei of Ferdinand.
Ken Kittrell, a sophomore at Grangeville High School placed second. He is the 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil R. Kittrell of Grangeville. LeAnn Rogers, a senior at Kendrick High School, placed third. She is the 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William L. Rogers of Kendrick.
Mrs. Lawrence Arneson, junior vice president of the VFW Headquarters auxiliary, received the outstanding district chairman award. She encouraged the teachers to motivate the students and get 100 per cent participation at Timberline High School, Weippe. Of the 478 entrants statewide, 217 were from Timberline.
Paul said that to his knowledge, Timberline was the first school in Idaho to have 100 per cent participation in the contest.
Miss Frei is a member of the debate and speech clubs. She plays the piano with the band and the double tentet. A member of the annual staff, she also is interested in science.
Eight high school students were finalists in the district contest. Miss Frei received a plaque for her winning five-minute taped speech on Freedom — Our Heritage.
Miss Frei will attend the VFW mid-winter conference at Boise, Jan. 30. The seven district winners have received expense-paid trips to the conference. The state winner will get a five-day trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance to compete for $22,500 in scholarships.
This story was published in the Jan. 7, 1971, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.