Congratulations are in order, to Smithtown High School West student Emily Durcan. The Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens Award nominee won a runner-up certificate and monetary award in this extremely elite Scholarship Contest. Durcan was nominated for the award by teachers for demonstrating outstanding qualities of a good citizen. However, it was Emily’s academic transcript, letters of recommendation, personal essay and a written response to an essay prompt regarding the role of one’s personal heritage to the Daughters of the American Revolution Anna Smith Strong Chapter, which lead to her award.
Since 1934, The DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest, has encouraged and rewarded high school students across the nation for exhibiting and inspiring qualities of good citizenship. Only one high school per year, is honored as a school’s DAR Good Citizen. The award recipient is chosen based on qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities to an outstanding degree. These students are selected by their teachers and peers in schools, accredited by the state board of education. Recipients of the DAR Good Citizen award, are then invited to participate in the scholarship portion of the program.