This year, the Liberty Bell chapter of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, honored 11 local high school students and three local military program cadets 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, the annual presentation ceremony had to be canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each recipient received his or her award, medal 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 Award winners are judged on the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism by demonstrating these qualities in their home, school and community environments.

The students who received the 2021 Good Citizen Awards are Sabrina Safadi, Catasauqua High School; Angelo Daddona, Whitehall High School; Emily Ann Vaughan, Allentown Central Catholic High School; Keerstin Augustin, Emmaus High School; Jahnia Treadwell, Louis E. Dieruff High School; Aidan Williams, Northern Lehigh High School; Brianna Fritzinger, Northwestern Lehigh High School; Natalia Cao, Parkland High School; Nevaeh Robinson, Salisbury High School; Megan Albanese, Southern Lehigh 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 Second Lt. Alondra Martinez Cora, from Louis E. Dieruff High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC program, and Cadet Petty Officer Third Class Izabel Nunez, from William Allen High School’s Navy Junior ROTC program, received the 2021 DAR ROTC Bronze Medals for their outstanding commitment, performance and dedication to their ROTC units.

In 2013, the National Defense committee established the Outstanding Cadet Medal given to Cadets from non-ROTC military-affiliated Cadet programs. This medal recognizes a cadet that has distinguished his or her self through outstanding leadership, honor, service, courage and patriotism in a non-ROTC military-affiliated cadet program.

Cadet Seaman Michael Dixon, from Northampton Area High School, received the 2021 DAR Outstanding Cadet Silver Medal for his exceptional efforts and dedication in the U.S. 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, 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. Margaret Iannace, the Good Citizen committee chair, and Hope Thorne, the National Defense committee chair, coordinated with school counselors and military commanders to make presenting these awards and medals to all the recipients possible.

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