BY HOPE THORNE

Special to The Press

The Liberty Bell Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Allentown, celebrated 10 local high school students at their annual awards ceremony on May 18 at Jordan Lutheran Church, Orefield.

These young seniors represent the future of our community and country.

Awards were given to students who participated in the DAR Good Citizen award program and Cadets involved in High School JROTC military programs.

Recipients of the 2024 Good Citizen Awards were judged based on the qualities of a good citizen - dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.

They had to show these qualities in their home, school and community environments.

Recipients were chosen by their high schools.

Some student entries also included an essay for the DAR Good Citizen scholarship contest.

Each school recipient received a DAR Good Citizen pin, a personalized certificate, a wallet recognition card, a monetary gift card and a Liberty Bell Chapter Graduation Honor cord.

High school seniors receiving the 2024 DAR Good Citizen Awards are Alivia Bear, Catasauqua High School; Sarah Greene, Emmaus High School; Haylie Fenstermaker, Northern Lehigh High School; Kaitlin Solt, Northwestern Lehigh High School; Olivia Wynn, Parkland High School; Jake Zellin, Salisbury High School; Samuel Magallanes, Southern Lehigh High School; and Emily Martinez, William Allen High School.

This year’s Liberty Bell Chapter’s DAR Good Citizen scholarship winner is Alivia Bear, Catasauqua High School.

She received a monetary award of $250 from the chapter for the winning essay in the DAR Good Citizen scholarship contest.

The 2024 Junior ROTC Bronze Medal is awarded to a cadet who has shown the qualities of dependability and good character, adherence to military discipline, leadership, and a fundamental understanding of the importance of ROTC training.

The Junior ROTC recipients are chosen by their commanders based on their performances in their respective units.

The 2024 DAR Junior ROTC Medal recipients are Cadet Capt. Miara Mitteff, Louise E. Dieruff High School, Air Force Junior ROTC and Cadet Lt. Diamond Torres, William Allen High School, Navy Junior ROTC.

Each cadet received the DAR Junior ROTC Bronze Medal, a personalized certificate, a graduation honor cord, and a monetary gift of $100 for their outstanding performance in their Junior ROTC respective units.

Members of the Liberty Bell Chapter, parents and family, a school counselor, a JROTC commander and a scholarship essay judge attended the ceremony.

Chapter Regent Loretta Igo opened the program with the Pledge of Allegiance, the recitation of the Preamble of the United States and The American’s Creed.

After the invocation by Chaplain Debra McDermott, Loretta Igo and Hope Thorne, co-chairs of the Good Citizen Committee, and Thorne, chairman of the National Defense Committee, presented the awards and medals.

All recipients briefly told the audience a little about themselves and their future ambitions.

Before the benediction, closing remarks by Regent Igo included thanking parents and instructors for helping to guide these students in becoming strong examples of young citizens of the United States of America.

Refreshments were served, and the members, students and cadets, family members and friends had a chance to take photos and congratulate the awardees.

The DAR is a women’s nonprofit social service organization whose mission is historic preservation, education and patriotism.

The organization was founded in 1890.

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

DAR members are committed to volunteer service in their communities, their states, and their nation.

To learn more about the work of the Liberty Bell Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, visit libertybellchapterdar.weebly.com.