17 year old Lawrenceville High School senior Elizabeth Boyd was the third place winner in the 2021-22 Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Voice of Democracy scholarship essay contest. Boyd, the daughter of Roger and Deanna Boyd of Lawrenceville, won the local contest sponsored by the Ambraw VFW Post #2244 and it’s Auxiliary in December and then won the District 13 competition in January. She along with 16 other District champions from across the state were honored at the 75th annual awards banquet Saturday February 12th in Springfield. She is the first participant in the contest from Post #2244 to place in the state contest and recieved the Terry L. McKinney Memorial Award along with a $1250 stipend. The National Association of Broadcasters started the Voice of Democracy scholarship program in 1947. Over 1,550 Illinois high school students submitted entries this year.