Marion Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, annually sponsors student essay contests involving area schools. At a February meeting held at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, club members honored the winners, their families and their teachers.

The DAR Good Citizen essay winner was Mia Bautista, a senior at Fayetteville High School, who was awarded $100. Her essay addressed technological integrity, civic duty and respect for others in light of her generation’s exposure to technological and social media advancements. Bautista, who plans to study biochemistry in college, said these advancements sometime foster attitudes of instant gratification, laziness and selfishness rather than those of increased efficiencies, character and social responsibility.

Bautista and her family emigrated from the Philippines in 1998, with her parents, Rusty and Mila Bautista, taking their oaths of citizenship in 2011. Mia’s brothers took their oaths in 2012, and she is looking forward to taking her own oath of citizenship shortly.

Other DAR Good Citizen winners in the contest, open to area seniors, were Katherine Ganoung from Farmington High School, Hannah Bower-Bakerman from West Fork High School, Payton Hanby from Har-Ber High School and Morgan Miller from Greenland High School.

The American History Essay winner, which was to address unrecognized groups that provided support for the American Revolution, was Abigayle Luttrell. She profiled Oskanondonha, an Oneida chief who rallied strategic support among his tribe and the Tuscaroras in the fight for independence. They also supplied food and taught valuable survival and farming skills to the American patriots.

Other winners were Matthew Cunningham and Baily Claire Vaughan. All were from Central Junior High School in Springdale.

First place in the Christopher Columbus Essay was Treyton Baker, whose essay addressed Columbus’ faith, persistence and courage as he made his New World discoveries. Other winners were MacKane Burchfield and Hannah-Grace Dobbs. All are Central Junior High students.

Darren Vaughn, who has taught for 22 years in Springdale and promotes a “live event” approach to learning history, was named History Teacher of the Year.

The awards are sponsored by the American history committee of the local chapter.

Life, Pages 7 on 03/27/2013