2A |   Thursday, March 23, 2023   |  The Concord Journal   | With NEWS FROM LINCOLN                                                         

 Good citizen and scholarship awards *

Old Concord Chapter D.A.R. Regent Janine Penfield with Good Citizens/scholarship Awardees Zoe Smith, Olivia Liang, Mackenzie Chacon, Aidan Goff, Maura Hashem, Olivia Foo and Award Chair Jennifer Birenbach.

Courtesy Old Concord Chapter D.A.R.

  CONCORD - The OLD CONCORD CHAPTER D.A.R. presents  a good citizen and scholarship award to one student from each of the participating high schools in the area.  The D.A.R. has been doing this since 1934.  The award is given in recognition of the student’s qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism.    
 
   To receive the award the student must have received the recommendation from their high school for the award and demonstrated the attributes of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism within the local community.  Students submit their transcript and a resume of their activities within the community. This year the focus question for them was “How will the essential actions of good citizens (dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism) meet the challenges that America faces this decade? “
    The students can also participate in an essay contest with the winner being able to go on to the state level competition for more scholarship money and a chance to participate at the national level.  The essays are 500 words and are written within two hours proctored by a teacher at their school.  The students are unaware of the subject matter ahead of time. This year the essay topic was “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It “
  The judges do not have the students' name and are unrelated to DAR  members and student applicants.  The award chapter chair tallies up the scores from the judges.
    

     Olivia Liang from Nashoba Regional High School won the essay competition along with a good citizen award and can enter the state contest.  Olivia volunteers as an EMT at the Bolton Fire Department and works at the Stow Fire Department.  She is interested in going into the medical field.
    Zoe Smith from Concord-Carlisle High School is VP of a political debate club and is very involved in the Concord Youth theater both on and off stage.
    Aidan Goff from Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School is involved in student government and is in the national honor society.  He has also been an ambassador for new students and works as an electrician.
    Mackenzie Chacon from Marlborough High School is involved in student government, mentors’ other students in English and Spanish, and is in the National Honor society.
    Olivia Foo from Hudson High School is VP of her class.  She is in the school chorus and is involved with helping 8th graders with developing leadership skills.
    Maura Hashem from Acton Boxborough Regional High School wants to major in biology and minor in Spanish.  She mentors fellow students and is an ambassador for new students.
   The OCC NSDAR is a volunteer non-profit and non-partisan women's service organization promoting historic preservation, education, patriotism, and outreach within our community. It covers the towns of Concord, Carlisle, Stow, Littleton, Maynard, Acton, and Boxborough.   We also attract members from other places to be part of the Old Concord Chapter.  For more information on the Old Concord Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution see www.oldconcorddar.org.   



  

*Note: An abridged copy of this article was printed on page 2 of the "The Concord Bridge" on  3/17/2023 with the title "D.A.R. awards scholarships to area students"