This year the Liberty Bell Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, has honored five local high school students and one local military program cadet with awards and medals.

The members of the Liberty Bell Chapter are proud to recognize these young students and their dedication in becoming good citizens and patriots of the United States.

Unfortunately this year the annual presentation ceremony had to be canceled because of the pandemic.

Each recipient receives his or her award and metal and a certificate at a location of their choice.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens committee was created in 1934 as the DAR Good Citizens Pilgrimage.

The awards were only presented to senior girls from four-year high schools.

The present day DAR Good Citizens Committee was created in 1952.

The Good Citizen Awardees are judged on the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism by demonstrating these qualities in their home, school, and community environments.

The students receiving the 2021 Good Citizen Awards were Emily Ann Vaughan, Allentown Central Catholic High School; Aidan Williams, Northern Lehigh High School; Brianna Fritzinger, Northwestern Lehigh High School; Natalia Cao, Parkland High School; and Alexis Rounds, William Allen High School.

The National Defense Committee of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was established in 1926 and, since 1967, has awarded medals yearly to high school students participating in Junior ROTC programs.

The DAR ROTC Medal recipients are chosen by their schools’ unit commanders, and their qualifications are 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 Petty Officer 3rd Class Izabel Nunez from the William Allen High School’s Navy Junior ROTC program received the 2021 DAR ROTC Bronze Medals for her outstanding commitment, performance, and dedication to her ROTC unit.

In 2013, the National Defense Committee established the Outstanding Cadet Medal given to Cadets from non-ROTC military-affiliated Cadet Programs.

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, meaningful community service and more.

Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War.

The Liberty Bell Chapter was organized in 1892 and was granted its charter in November of that year.

It became the sixth chartered chapter in the state and the 28th nationally.

The present Regent of the Chapter is Tracy DeJonge. the Good Citizen Committee Chair Margaret Iannace, and the National Defense Committee Chair Hope Thorne, coordinated with school counselors and military commanders to make presenting these awards and medals to all the recipients possible.

For information about DAR and its programs, visit dar.org.