2024 DAR Good Citizen Awards and Scholarships announced

Submitted to the Globe-News
·3 min read

The Esther McCrory Chapter, Amarillo, Texas, National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) recently honored 14 area high school seniors as DAR Good Citizens.

DAR Good Citizens Awards are given to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The first award was given in 1934, continues now for the 90th year both nationally and locally. This award recognizes and rewards high school seniors who possess good citizenship qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. These students are selected because they demonstrate these qualities to an outstanding degree and are named DAR Good Citizens. Each Good Citizen receives a certificate, pin, poster explaining the significance of the pin, small American flag, copy of the US Flag Code booklet, and a red, white, and blue honor cord which can be worn with the graduation cap and gown.

Esther McCrory Chapter in Amarillo, National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution 2024 DAR Good Citizen Awards presented at Saint Paul Methodist Church on Feb. 5. Pictured in the back row, from left: Jeanne Ann Gibson, Chapter Vice Regent and Good Citizen Chair; Ann Schoen, Chapter Regent; Ty Morris, Bushland High School (HS); Adrian Morales, Caprock HS. Third row: Rachel Lane, Holy Cross Catholic Academy; Natalie Watson, West Plains HS; Molly Riesenberg, Randall HS; David Green, Tascosa HS. Second row: Annabelle McCormick, Highland Park HS; Kaden Norris, Boys Ranch HS; Gregory Parker, Ascension Academy. Front row: Habibo Abdi, Palo Duro HS; Lynlee Spinhirne, Vega HS; Catherine Cockrell, San Jacinto Christian Academy; James Culbert, Canyon HS; Hunter Lovell, Claude HS.

The newly named Good Citizens may choose to enter the scholarship contest by submitting a personal statement of their activities and accomplishments in high school, participation, and interest in their community, and writing a timed essay, all of which are scored by a panel of non-DAR judges. The 2023-24 essay title was “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It” with a focus question: “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?” Three Good Citizens were awarded scholarships from the Esther McCrory Chapter of NSDAR. San Jacinto Christian Academy’s Good Citizen Catherine Cockrell received the first-place scholarship in the amount of $300. Ascension Academy’s Good Citizen Gregory Parker received the second-place scholarship in the amount of $225. Highland Park High School’s Good Citizen Annabelle McCormick received the third-place scholarship in the amount of $200.

Esther McCrory Chapter in Amarillo, National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution 2024 DAR Good Citizen Awards scholarship winners: back row, from left: Jeanne Ann Gibson, Chapter Vice Regent and Good Citizen Award Chair; Ann Schoen, Chapter Regent, and front row: Annabelle McCormick, 3rd place; Catherine Cockrell, 1st place; Gregory Parker, 2nd place.

2024 DAR Good Citizens

  • Ascension Academy: Gregory Joseph Parker, 2nd place scholarship, $225

  • Boys Ranch High School: Kaden Zane Norris

  • Bushland High School: Ty Keith Morris

  • Canyon High School: James Duncan Culbert

  • Caprock High School: Adrian Michael Morales

  • Claude High School: Hunter Reed Lovell

  • Highland Park High School: Annabelle Riata McCormick, 3rd place scholarship, $200

  • Holy Cross Catholic Academy: Rachel Lynn Lane

  • Palo Duro High School: Habibo Ibrahim Abdi

  • Randall High School: Molly Margaret Riesenberg

  • San Jacinto Christian Academy: Catherine Grace Cockrell, 1st place scholarship, $300

  • Tascosa High School: David Roderick Green

  • Vega High School: Lynlee Hope Spinhirne

  • West Plains High School: Natalie Lynn Watson

Esther McCrory Chapter Regent is Ann Schoen. Jeanne Ann Gibson serves as Vice Regent and Good Citizens Award Chair. The Chapter was founded on April 11, 1911, in Amarillo.

The DAR, founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children. Any woman 18 years or older - regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background - who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership.

For more information on becoming a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, contact Chapter Regent Schoen at 806-383-3998 or email aschoen@suddenlink.net.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: 2024 DAR Good Citizen Awards and Scholarships announced