Almost 100 students participated in this year’s contests
PASO ROBLES — The El Paso de Robles Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), has announced winners of their annual American History and Patriot of the American Revolution contest. This year, 98 students entered essays.
Betsy Beatty, a local DAR member on the American History and Youth Contest Committee, has been helping organize the local contest for over 20 years. To her surprise, she has seen more students participate in the American History and Patriot contests.
The contest is open to students in public, private, and parochial schools and registered home-study programs. Essays are judged for historical accuracy, adherence to the topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness.
Each student participant receives a certificate of participation from the El Paso de Robles DAR chapter, and the winners receive bronze medals and certificates. State winners receive certificates and silver medals. National winners receive special certificates, medals, and a monetary award.
The American History essay contest was open to students in the 5th through 8th grades. It was established to encourage young people to think creatively about the nation’s history and learn about history in a new light. This year’s American History topic was ‘The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.’
Students were told to imagine they lost a family member in any war in American history, then imagine that family member was never identified and in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb, located in Virginia, is a historical monument dedicated to deceased U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified. Students are then asked to relay what that tomb would mean to them.
One winner from each grade is chosen for the American History essay contest. This year’s contest winners are:
- 5th Grade: Anna Botts/Vineyard Elementary School
- 6th Grade: Name Not Public
- 7th Grade: Hannah Chandler/St. Rose Catholic School
- 8th Grade: Kate Harrington/St. Rose Catholic School
The Patriot of the American Revolution contest was open to students in the 9th through 12th grades. One winner was chosen for the Patriot contest, Cadence Alexa Guizar from Shandon High School.
The local essay contest winners move forward to compete at the district level. Guizar and Chandler both won at the district level and competed in State.
In preparation for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, DAR launched the “Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest.” This contest focuses on the men and women who figured in the American Revolution (1773 – 1783). It is their hope students will find Patriots to write about who will interest and inspire them.
Students were asked to discuss how their chosen Patriot contributed to the founding of the nation. Essays were 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.
The essay contest was 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 more information on the El Paso de Robles Chapter, DAR visit elpasoderobles.californiadar.org
