Student Contests, Awards, and Recognitions

ESSAY CONTESTS

American History Essay Contest

The American History Essay Contest was established to encourage young people to think creatively about our nation’s great history and learn about history in a new light.

This contest is open to students in public, private, and parochial schools, and registered home-study programs. Students in grades five through eight are encouraged to participate. Each year, a selected topic for use during the academic year is announced, and contest instructions are published online and sent to schools by participating DAR chapters. Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to the topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness.

Participating chapters send one winning essay from each of the four grades for judging on the state level. The state will send one winning essay from each of the four grades to be judged on a divisional level. The winning essay from each of the four grades will then be judged on the national level and the winners are announced.

Each student participant receives a certificate of participation from the chapter and the chapter winners receive bronze medals and certificates. State winners receive certificates and silver medals. National winners receive special certificates, medals, and a monetary award.

Click here for an informational PDF handout.
For additional contest information or guidelines, please contact your local DAR chapter.

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Patriots of the American Revolution High School Essay Contest

In preparation for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, the DAR has launched the “Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest.” This contest will focus on the men and women who figured in the events of the American Revolution (1773 – 1783), and it is hoped that students will find Patriots to write about who will interest and inspire them.

These Patriots may be one of our famous Founders, or an everyday man, woman, or child who supported the American Revolution in ways both large and small.  Students will be asked to discuss how their chosen Patriot contributed to the founding of the nation. Essays will be judged for historical accuracy, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and the quality and scope of references, particularly the use of primary sources.

This contest is open to students in public, private, and parochial schools, and registered home-study programs, in grades 9 through 12. Essays from students from all grades will be judged together, with one winning essay chosen at each level. Participating DAR Chapters will select one essay as the chapter winner, to be sent on to the State level; the State will select one essay winner to represent the state for judging at the Division level, and each Division level will also have one winner which will be sent on to the National contest. Each student participant receives a certificate of participation from the chapter and the chapter winners receive a bronze medal and certificate set. State winners receive a silver medal and certificate set. Division level winners receive certificates and a book. National winners receive special certificates, medals, and a monetary award.

The National Society will select first-, second- and third-place winners. The national winner will receive a National Winner Certificate, pin and monetary award, presented at NSDAR’s annual Continental Congress, and the winning essay may appear in official DAR communications. National second- and third-place winners will also receive a certificate and monetary award.

This essay contest is being launched to engage students during the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, and is designed to encourage students to think more about the many different people, known and unknown, who were a part of the American Revolution, and perhaps even see themselves in the figures they write about.

For additional contest information or guidelines, please contact your local DAR chapter.

STUDENT AWARDS

DAR Good Citizenship Award

The DAR Good Citizens program is a way to recognize outstanding young people who exhibit the qualities of good citizenship in their homes, schools, and communities. High schools in our area are contacted and encouraged to participate.  Last year Good Citizens were recognized at Central Hardin, Elizabethtown and Fort Knox High Schools. 

The DAR Good Citizens program and Scholarship Contest is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The program is open to all high school seniors enrolled in public or private schools accredited by their state board of education. United States citizenship is not required.

The student selected as the school’s DAR Good Citizen must have the following qualities:

  • Dependability (truthfulness, honesty, punctuality, etc.)
  • Service (cooperation, helpfulness, responsibility, etc.)
  • Leadership (personality, self-control, initiative, etc.)
  • Patriotism (unselfish loyalty to American ideals)

Each school selects only one senior class student per year in a method of its own choice.  Each DAR Good Citizen receives a DAR Good Citizens pin, certificate, and wallet recognition card.  The DAR Good Citizen student is then eligible, if he/she wishes, to enter the DAR Good Citizens Scholarship Contest.  

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DAR Youth Citizenship Medal

The DAR Youth Citizenship Medal (formerly Good Citizenship Medal) is for a boy or girl in grades 5 through 11 (one medal per grade per school). The medal may also be awarded to youth service and patriotic organizations, whose membership fulfills the qualities of honor, service, courage, leadership, and patriotism, such as scouts, police cadets, and other community service organizations. 

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ROTC AWARDS

The Bronze ROTC Medal is awarded to either a junior or senior student in a secondary school JROTC program or to a Junior College graduating senior (one medal per unit) for outstanding leadership, scholarship, and patriotism.  Medals are worn according to JROTC protocol.  Students at Central, John and North Hardin High Schools are awarded the bronze ROTC Medal each year.