Fox River Valley Chapter NSDAR names five student winners
On Saturday, March 16, the Fox River Valley Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution held their annual student award reception at First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake.
Two seventh-grade students from Westfield Community School in Algonquin and three local high school students were honored.
The American History Essay Contest is open to fifth- through eighth- grade students. The 2023-24 title was “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and the students were asked to write based on the following topic: On May 14, 1897, John Philip Sousa played his new march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” This song would become the national march of the United States on Dec. 11, 1987. Imagine it is 1897 and you are a newspaper reporter for The Philadelphia Times. Your newspaper editor has asked you to write an article about the new song performed that day. The article needs to tell about Sousa’s life and the story behind the song. It is the first performance of the song, so make sure the article includes thoughts about the music and how the audience reacts to what was seen and heard that day.
The chapter awarded first place to Jiya Patel, whose essay advanced to Illinois District II where she was also named winner. Ifra Hussain was chapter runner-up. Each student was awarded a certificate and an Amazon gift card.
The DAR Good Citizen award recognizes and rewards high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities to an outstanding degree.
Fox River Valley Chapter sponsors Hampshire, Huntley, and Jacobs high schools. Each school chooses their winner, and then the student is invited to participate in an additional essay scholarship from the chapter.
The 2024 Fox River Valley Class of DAR Good Citizens is Ella Grace Van Gheem, Hampshire High School; Christina Jean Smith, Huntley High School; and Alexis Vera Hill, Jacobs High School. Each school winner is awarded a certificate, a pin, and a monetary award.
Christina Smith from Huntley High School was also awarded an additional scholarship as the DAR Good Citizen Chapter winner for her response to the essay prompt, “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It” and the focus question of “What are the civic responsibilities of a good citizen and why are these duties, activities and behaviors important to the shaping of the America you hope to experience?”
If you are interested in learning more about the DAR and think you have a Revolutionary War patriot in your lineage, contact the Fox River Valley Chapter Registrar via frvdar@gmail.com.
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