DAR Good Citizen Award Winners

L to R: Pat Gooding, Good Citizen Chair, Drayton Garrett, Blair Savoca and Alelxander Serra


Each year the Brunswick Town Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution present awards to high school seniors who meet the criteria to receive the prestigious “Good Citizen Award.” The students who are selected must have the following qualities: dependability, which includes truthfulness, loyalty, and punctuality; leadership indicating cooperation, self-control, ability to assume responsibility; and patriotism demonstrating service and an unselfish interest in family, school, community and nation.

DAR Good Citizen Chair, Pat Gooding presented awards to three outstanding students from West, North and South Brunswick High Schools at the March 14th DAR meeting held at Brunswick Electric in Supply, NC.

The DAR Good Citizens Scholarship Contest consists of two parts. In Part I students describe how they have achieved being a good citizen. This part is submitted with a copy of an official grade transcript and two letters of recommendation. High School activities and areas of special interest, as well as how their efforts to serve their community have been effective or have made a difference are included. They must submit future plans, education and career goals as well as aspirations in life. The contestants must include extracurricular activities. They must explain why they feel the four qualities of a DAR Good Citizen; Dependability, Service, Leadership and Patriotism are important and how they have tried to exhibit those qualities in their life and in their relationships with others. Part II is an essay written during a two hour session without the use of any reference materials. This year’s topic was “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for preserving it: What is the Greatest Challenge We Face in America Today?”

There were changes to the judging criteria from 2009 to 2010. The subject of the essay changed as well as the relative importance between Parts I and II. Last year the sections were judged equally, each to potentially receive 50 points. In 2010, the personal information was changed to be worth up to 70 points and the essay worth up to 30 points.

The three seniors who were chosen the “DAR Good Citizen” were Drayton Garrett, West Brunswick High School, Blair Elizabeth Savoca, North Brunswick High School, and Alexander Jack Serra South Brunswick High School.

Drayton Garrett’s volunteer experiences include: Communities in School Gala, Teen Court, Children’s Ministries with church, food pantry, Cat Tails Adoption Agency, Think Pink school fundraiser, Turtle Day – Ocean Isle Beach Museum, Hurricane Katrina Relief, Relay for Life and Parks and Recreation cheerleading camps. Her extracurricular activities include: Varsity Cheerleading, Competitive Gymnastics, Student Government, Future Business Leaders of America and Students Against Destructive Decisions, Interact, Chorus and All County Chorus and National Honor Society.

Blair Elizabeth Savoca’s volunteer experiences include: canned food and clothing drives, pancake breakfasts and tutoring. For her senior project, she collected baby items from businesses in the community and made baskets that were distributed to two families with children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at new Hanover Regional Medical Center. Her extracurricular activities Include: Student Government President, Key Club Secretary, National Honor Society, French Honor Society, Cheer Infinity All-stars, Varsity Cheerleading, Dixie Youth Softball, Tobacco Is My Enemy, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Youth Legislative Assembly of North Carolina.

The student selected to have the application and essay to be sent to the District IX competition was written by Alexander Jack Serra, a student from South Brunswick High Scholl. His volunteer experiences include: King Mackerel Tournament, Beach sweeps at Oak Island, Blood donation to American Red Cross, Stock enhancement of the Davis Canal, New Hanover County fair, The Boiling Spring Lakes Police Small Fry Fishing Tournament. His extracurricular activities include: soccer, Treasurer of the Student Government Association, 7th Congressional District Youth Leadership Summit, Morehead-Cain Scholarship Nominee National Honor Society, tennis, Dream Team member (anti-drug program sponsored by NC High School Athletics Association, student athletes promote drug free lifestyles), Minor for the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement.

Judging took place in January. The judges were 3 former school teachers, one was a former DAR Good Citizen. Each of these students attended the April meeting to read their essays. At that time they were presented with their DAR Good Citizen certificates and pins. They will also receive a $100 savings bond at the end of the second semester.