Each year since 2010, the Gila Butte Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has given two or more Patriot Scholarships worth $1,000 each to female seniors planning to attend a community college. Recipients must have a 2.5 grade point average and carry a minimum 12 credits. Gila Butte works with counselors at Basha and Perry High Schools to make students aware of the scholarships’ availability, and a panel of chapter members chooses the winners, which are announced at their school’s annual honors program. The DAR state organization assigns schools to each DAR chapter to avoid overlap of services.

In addition, the state ROTC chair also assigns schools to specific chapters for the DAR ROTC awards. Gila Butte was given Basha and Coolidge High Schools. The ROTC commander at each school selects a senior for the award, with winners receiving a medal and $100. The Youth Citizen Award is given to an underclass student at each school, also chosen by the ROTC commanders. These winners receive a medal and $50.

Another award the Gila Butte Chapter gives to local students is the DAR Good Citizenship Award. Winners are selected by their schools based on dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. Up to six schools (public and private) have taken part in nominating their students for this award. Recipients receive a pin, a certificate, and $100. This year the chapter also gave two Good Citizenship Awards to members of the Children of the American Revolution.

DAR also sponsors an annual American History essay contest for public, private, or home-schooled students grades 5-12. The National Association selects the topic. Essays are judged based on historical accuracy, bibliography/quality of references, organization of material, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and interest. They must contain 300 to 1,200 words, depending on grade level. Chapter winners go on to compete at the state level. Winners then go to the division level. The final winners are then selected at the national level. Judging at all levels is done by a three-person panel, one of whom is not a DAR member.

The Gila Butte winner this year was an eighth grader whose essay “Delegate to the Second Continental Congress” won her a certificate, a medal, and $50.

For information about joining DAR, contact our Membership Chair Pennie Bonnett at [email protected].

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a nonprofit, charitable organization, founded in 1890 and incorporated by an act of the United States Congress in 1896. Membership in the society is open to any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. The DAR functions as a volunteer service organization and is dedicated to patriotism, education, and historic preservation. While DAR supports a strong national defense, it is not a political organization, nor does it lobby. Its membership includes women from Republican, Democratic, and Independent political parties; women from all races and ethnic backgrounds; and women from ages 18 to 100-plus.