Thomasville Chapter DAR presents American History Essay Contest Awards

The January meeting of the Thomasville Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) featured the chapter winners of the American History Essay Contest and Patriots of the American Revolution High School Essay Contest. Thomasville Chapter DAR members, guests, students, teachers and family were in attendance at the luncheon, which was held at the Vashti Center.

The American History Essay Contest was established by NSDAR to encourage young people to think creatively about this nation's great history and learn about history in a new light. The essay topic for the 2023-2024 American History Essay Contest for Grades 5-8 was “Stars and Stripes Forever.” On May 14, 1897, John Philip Sousa played his new march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” This song would become the national march of the United States on December 11, 1987. Imagine it is 1897 and you are a newspaper reporter for “The Philadelphia Times.” Your newspaper editor has asked you to write an article about the song being performed that day. Your article needs to tell us about Sousa’s life and the story behind the song. It is the first performance of the song, so make sure your article includes your thoughts about the music and how the audience reacts to what is seen and heard that day.

Before each student read their essay, Chapter Historian Charlotte Brown played a recording of John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” performed by the United States Marine Corps Band. The chapter winners of the American History Essay Contest are Aisling Zahniser, fifth grade, Brookwood School and Annabel Lanier, seventh grade, Brookwood School. Chapter Regent Shelba Sellers and Historian Charlotte Brown presented each essay winner with the American History Bronze Medal, Chapter Winner Certificate and monetary award.

NSDAR established a high school essay contest focused on figures of the American Revolution, in preparation for the 250th Anniversary of the nation's founding. The essay contest is open to students in Grades 9-12. The essay topic was to select a figure from the era of the American Revolution (1773-1783). Discuss how he or she influenced the course of the American Revolution, who he or she was and his/her contribution to the founding of a new nation. 


The Chapter winner of the Patriots of the American Revolution High School Essay Contest is Weslyn Miller, 11th grade student at Thomas County Central High School. Her essay was about Nancy Hart. The Patriots of the American Revolution Bronze Medal, Chapter Winner Certificate and monetary award was presented to Miller by Chapter Regent Shelba Sellers and Historian Charlotte Brown.

After the awards presentations, Chapter Historian Charlotte Brown thanked Karen Andrews, Rhea Brashear, Doris Davies, Jo Ponzillo and Della Spence for their work in judging the essays.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. More than one million women have joined the DAR since it was founded. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.org.

For more information about the Thomasville Chapter DAR, visit thomasville.georgiastatedar.org or the Chapter’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ThomasvilleChapterNSDAR.