Fox River Valley Chapter NSDAR recognizes local student award winners

The Fox River Valley Chapter of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution held their annual student award reception on Saturday, March 18, at First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake.

Four local high school students were honored: three as DAR Good Citizens and one as winner of the Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest.

Each student was awarded a certificate, a pin, and a monetary award.

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.

The 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 2023 Fox River Valley Class of DAR Good Citizens is Genevieve Bangert, Hampshire High School; Lyndsey Bajgrowicz, Huntley High School; and Sarah Jano, Jacobs High School.

Genevieve Bangert 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 "How will the essential actions of a good citizen (dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism) meet the challenges that America faces in this decade?"

In 2022, DAR introduced the Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest looking ahead to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding.

For the essay, each student must select a man, woman, or child from the era of the American Revolution (1773-1783) and discuss how he or she influenced, large or small, the course of the American Revolution.

Cary-Grove High School junior Brady Seaburg was honored as the chapter winner for his essay entitled "Baron von Steuben, The Foreign Founding Father of the U.S. Army."

Brady has also been chosen the Illinois State winner and will be recognized later this month at the state conference.

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 at geniejoan@comcast.net or the Chapter Regent at frvdar@gmail.com.