Warren Township senior wins DAR award
Warren Township High School senior Julia Dennen is the winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution Little Fort Chapter's 2015-16 Good Citizenship Award.
She was one of eight local high school students nominated by their schools to participate this year. The other students were: Ashley Hare of Antioch Community High School, Maresa Gigliotti of Grant High School, Allison Daul of Grayslake Central High School, Madison Sepanik of Grayslake North High School, Allyson Rudolph of Lakes Community High School, Katie Carranza of Round Lake Senior High School and Francis Parades of Waukegan High School - Washington Campus.
Brandon Antonio, a Waukegan High School - Brookside Campus student, was named his school's Good Citizen, but was unable to participate in the essay contest.
Three judges who are not DAR members named Dennen the winner based on academic achievement, extracurricular activity and community participation, as well as an essay on the topic "Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It: Of our American rights and freedoms, which one would you choose to celebrate and why?"
Dennen wrote about how the right to peaceful assembly has improved the United States.
Members of the Little Fort DAR Chapter and the students' families recognized the Good Citizens at an honors reception on Sunday, Jan. 10, The Village of Victory Lakes, Lindenhurst. Each student received a commemorative pin, a certificate and a small scholarship.
Dennen's entry was eligible to compete for further NSDAR scholarships offered at the district, state and national levels.
Two additional students received medals for their participation in their schools' Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps programs. The two cadets were nominated by their JROTC leaders for demonstrating loyalty and patriotism while earning a record of military and scholastic achievement during their participation in their ROTC programs.
They must have shown qualities of dependability, good character, adherence to military discipline and leadership. They must have a fundamental and patriotic understanding of the importance of ROTC training. This year's recipients are Neldi Lopez from Waukegan High School and Jaycie Hoenig of Zion Benton Township High School.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for the nation's children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War.
With more than 165,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.org.
The Little Fort Chapter of the DAR, which reflects the original, historic name of Waukegan, began in 1924. Besides awarding local high school students for their achievements, the Little Fort Chapter NSDAR collects and delivers personal comfort items to the Captain James H. Lovell Health Care Center in North Chicago.
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