The Hot Springs of Arkansas Chapter honored three students as DAR Good Citizens this year with an award ceremony, monetary gifts for college, certificates and pins, and plans to honor a fourth student later in the year.
The students recently honored are Benjamin Capes, of Malvern High School, Jace Beckwith, of Magnet Cove High School, and Anna Fletcher, of Hot Springs World Class High School.
A fourth DAR Good Citizen, Jaxson Adams, of Lakeside High School, was not in attendance and will be honored on a later date.
"All four of these high school seniors were elected by their schools for this prestigious honor. The staff and fellow students believed that their outstanding senior met the qualifications of a DAR Good Citizen. Those qualifications were exhibited through their leadership, trustworthiness, responsibility, dependability, patriotism, and service at school as well as in the community," a news release said.
Once they were elected as a DAR Good Citizen, the students had to complete part one of the DAR Good Citizens Scholarship application. "This portion of the application contained their beliefs in good character and examples of how they exhibited those qualities daily. The application also contained their high school transcripts, accomplishments, as well as two letters of recommendation. Their high school guidance counselors and teachers gave them glowing acknowledgments of how hard-working and goal-driven they are as well as their good moral character. Ben and Anna received letters of recommendations from their schools' JROTC and/or NJROTC instructors," the release said.
They all chose to write an impromptu optional essay in the part two portion of the scholarship application. There was a two-hour time limit, and they could not use any resource materials during their authorship. The focus question was not known by these seniors until the moment they sat down to create an essay not to exceed 550 words. This year the topic was "Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It: How do the qualities of a good citizen (dependability, service, leadership and patriotism) help support our nation?"
"The essays showed their opinions, beliefs, and historical support of the topic question. Three non-DAR judges were asked to grade both parts of the scholarship applications. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and accurate historical relevance of the topic question counted 30 points. Part one portion was graded on their achievements and beliefs with the highest score of 70 points. They did not have to write the essay to be a DAR Good Citizen winner of their schools," the release said.
The essay gave them a chance of winning an entry into the state competition level "and hopefully continued into the NSDAR National Level," it said.
Fletcher's DAR Good Citizens Scholarship application was graded the highest and was sent to compete at the state level.
For more information about NSDAR programs and scholarships, call the Hot Springs of Arkansas Chapter's VIS and DAR Good Citizen chair, Martha Koon, at 501-282-4973.