Sarah LeBaron of Hurricane High School wrote the winning essay for the Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She told St. George News that being a good citizen includes voting, petitioning the government and servicing others.

The other students honored included Ben Marsden from Crimson Cliffs High School, Elizabeth Hegenbarth from Water Canyon High School, Brooke Humphries from Enterprise High School and Tyson Laws from Emery High School. LeBaron and Marsden read their essays to the audience.

Julie Molen, the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens chair, told attendees it was the first time a student from Emery High School had participated. She said the chapter winner will go on to compete in the Utah State Society DAR competition.

Molen said the contestants were given the topic of the essay moments before they sat down to write. They were only allowed to use a dictionary and a computer. The students had a time limit of two hours to write a 500-word essay.

The program and scholarship contest encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship in students. The program is open to all high school seniors enrolled in public or private schools accredited and in good standing with their state board of education. Students are not required to be United States citizens.

“The DAR Good Citizens program is a brilliant way to recognize outstanding young people who exhibit the qualities of good citizenship in their homes, schools and communities,” King said in an email to St. George News. “Chapters should contact local high schools as soon as possible and encourage their participation.”

According to the National Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution website, the student selected as the school’s 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’s Good Citizen receives a Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens pin, certificate and wallet recognition card. If they desire, students can enter the Good Citizens Scholarship Contest.

The chapter winner’s essay is sent to the Utah State Society Daughters of the American Revolution for state judging. Every chapter in the state, 11 chapters total, can send their chapter’s winning essay for judging at the state level. The state winner is selected and then forwarded for judging at the national level. Every state society has the opportunity to send a state winner.

Sarah LeBaron received a $100 check from the chapter for her winning essay. The other students who wrote essays each received $50.

In addition to writing an essay, students submit their high school activities, how they have tried to serve their community, future plans, education and career goals and aspirations in life. Students also list their extracurricular activities and why the four qualities of a Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen matter to them.

Additionally, students provide a grade transcript provided by the school through the end of 11th grade and list the subjects for which the student has enrolled for the 12th grade. The students also include two letters of recommendation.

Photo Gallery

Students with their Good Citizenship awards for writing essays for the Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the annual luncheon are (L to R) Brooke Humphries from Enterprise High School, Ben Marsden from Crimson Cliffs High School and Sarah LeBaron from Hurricane High School, St. George, Utah, February 13, 2024 | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News

Sarah LeBaron from Hurricane High School reads her winning essay at the Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the annual luncheon, St. George, Utah, February 13, 2024 | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News

Students with their awards for writing essays for the Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the annual luncheon are (L to R) Ben Marsden from Crimson Cliffs High School, Sarah LeBaron from Hurricane High School and Brooke Humphries from Enterprise High School, St. George, Utah, February 13, 2024 | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News

Students with members of the Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (L to R) Brooke Humphries from Enterprise High School, Ben Marsden from Crimson Cliffs High School, Good Citizen Chair Julie Molen, Sarah LeBaron from Hurricane High School and Chapter Regent Laura Miller, St. George, Utah, February 13, 2024 | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News

Brooke Humphries from Enterprise High School and her parents at Color Country Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution luncheon, St. George, Utah, February 13, 2024 | Photo by Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News