Three local students received awards from the Rochester Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution at their annual awards ceremony on April 9.
This organization consists of women who are direct descendants of patriots who fought to gain independence during the Revolutionary War. Their mission consists of promoting education, historic preservation and patriotism.
Sarah Ann Stevens, a John Marshall High School senior who plans to pursue a degree in secondary education and physics, was named the Rochester Chapter winner of the "DAR Good Citizen Scholarship Essay Contest." She is the daughter of Mark and Julie Stevens of Rochester.
Sarah has been a member of various organizations, including theater, speech, student council, orchestra, National Honor Society, Link, Northern Lites, Principal’s Advisory, Student School Board and intramural Frisbee. She has played piano for 12 years and violin for six.
In community service, she has volunteered at her church by teaching Sunday school, running power point on Sunday mornings and attending mission trips to various parts of the country. She also rings bells for the Salvation Army, helped organize clothes and has assisted with Christmas Anonymous.
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"Every opportunity has given me the chance to give back and show others that I care for them and want to help," she says.
Sarah was also recently named the state winner of this contest. She will be presenting her essay during the DAR State Conference in Bloomington on May 21.
Jenna Saunders, a home-schooled high school senior, was named the Rochester Chapter winner of the "Christopher Columbus Essay contest." The essay topic was "Lessons from Christopher Columbus’ Life."
Jenna has participated in home-school basketball and choir and plans to attend North Dakota State University next year majoring in biochemistry. She is the daughter of John and Janel Saunders of Pine Island.
Students in the American History Essay contest wrote on the topic: Memoirs of Paul Revere. The essays were judged for historical accuracy, adherence to topic, organization of material, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation and neatness.
The 2011 Rochester Chapter seventh grade-winner is Alexander Phillips, who is home-schooled. He is the son of Randy and Robin Phillips of Rochester.
Alexander enjoys creative writing, poetry, playing the cello, bike riding and reading.
The guest speaker for the event was Shirley Russo, who spoke on her trip with the MIA Hunters to Papua, New Guinea, in May 2010.
