Old Concord Chapter D.A.R. Regent Janine Penfield with Good Citizens/scholarship Awardees Zoe Smith, Olivia Liang, Mackenzie Chacon, Aidan Goff, Maura Hashem, Olivia Foo and Award Chair Jennifer Birenbach.

D.A.R. awards scholarships to area students

March 16, 2023

The Old Concord Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has, since 1934, presented a good citizen and scholarship award to one student from each of the participating high schools in the area. The award is given in recognition of the student’s qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism.

To receive the award, the student must have received the recommendation from their high school and demonstrated the attributes of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism within the local community. Students submit their transcript and a resume of their activities within the community. This year the focus question for them was “How will the essential actions of good citizens (dependability, service, leadership and patriotism) meet the challenges that America faces this decade?” 

The students can also participate in an essay contest with the winner being able to go on to the state level competition for more scholarship money and a chance to participate at the national level. The essays are 500 words and are written within two hours proctored by a teacher at their school. The students are unaware of the subject matter ahead of time. This year the essay topic was “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It “ 

  • Olivia Liang from Nashoba Regional High School won the essay competition along with a good citizen award and can enter the state contest. Olivia volunteers as an EMT at the Bolton Fire Department and works at the Stow Fire Department. She is interested in going into the medical field.
  • Zoe Smith from Concord-Carlisle High School is vice president of a political debate club and is very involved in the Concord Youth theater both on and off stage.
  • Aidan Goff from Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School is involved in student government and is in the national honor society. He has also been an ambassador for new students and works as an electrician.
  • Mackenzie Chacon from Marlborough High School is involved in student government, mentors other students in English and Spanish, and is in the National Honor society.
  • Olivia Foo from Hudson High School is vice president of her class. She is in the school chorus and is involved with helping 8th graders with developing leadership skills.
  • Maura Hashem from Acton Boxborough Regional High School wants to major in biology and minor in Spanish. She mentors fellow students and is an ambassador for new students.

The OCC NSDAR is a volunteer non-profit and non-partisan women’s service organization promoting historic preservation, education, patriotism, and outreach within our community. It covers the towns of Concord, Carlisle, Stow, Littleton, Maynard, Acton, and Boxborough. For more information on the Old Concord Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution see www.oldconcorddar.org.