The Liberty Bell Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution annually honors 12 local high school students and three local military program cadets with awards.

Although the annual presentation ceremony was canceled this year because of the pandemic, the members of the Liberty Bell Chapter are proud to recognize these students and their dedication.

The Good Citizen Award recipients are judged on the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism - showing these qualities in their home, school and community environments. Some students’ entries also included essays for the DAR Good Citizen Scholarship Program.

Students receiving the Good Citizen Awards include Hallie Kern, of Whitehall High School; Amber Marie Kalnas, of Catasauqua High School; Emma Luchetti, of Allentown Central Catholic High School; Shavon Smith, of Dieruff High School; Fionnuir Ni Chochlain, of Emmaus High School; Victor Riche-Roman, of Lehigh Career and Technical Institute; Brianna Marie Catherine Shuck, of Northern Lehigh High School; Gabriella Giese, of Northwestern Lehigh High School; Ga Young Lee, of Parkland High School; Olivia Catherine Hoeing, of Salisbury High School; Taylor Moncman, of Southern Lehigh High School; and Carrie Eliza Spangler, of William Allen High School.

Carrie Eliza Spangler received a $100 award from the Liberty Bell Chapter for her winning essay in the DAR Good Citizen Scholarship program, and her essay advanced to the state competition.

The DAR Junior ROTC Medal recipients are chosen by their commanders based on their performance and qualities of dependability and good character, adherence to military discipline, leadership and a fundamental understanding of the importance of ROTC training.

Cadet Capt. Deona Davis, from the Louis E. Dieruff High School Air Force Junior ROTC program, and Cadet Ensign Dalizmarie Troche Surita, from the William Allen High School Naval Junior ROTC program, received the DAR ROTC bronze medals for their outstanding performance.

The DAR Outstanding Cadet Medal recognizes a cadet who displays outstanding leadership, honor, service, courage and patriotism in a non-ROTC military-affiliated cadet program. Cadet Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph A. Lock, from Quakertown Community High School, received the DAR Outstanding Cadet silver medal for his distinguished accomplishments in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Lehigh Valley division.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, a women’s nonprofit social service organization, was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism through commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans and meaningful community service.

The Liberty Bell Chapter was organized in 1898 and was granted its charter in November of that year. It became the sixth chartered chapter in the state and the 28th nationally.

Margaret Iannace, of the good citizen committee, and Hope Thorne, of the national defense committee, coordinated with school counselors, military commanders and nonmember judges in the selection of all recipients.