THOMASVILLE- The January meeting of the Thomasville Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution featured the chapter winners of the American History Essay Contest, American History Video Contest and Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest. Thomasville Chapter DAR members, guests, students, teachers and family members were in attendance at the luncheon.

The American History Essay Contest was established by NSDAR to encourage young people to think creatively about our nation’s great history and learn about history in a new light. The essay topic for the 2024-2025 American History Essay Contest for Grades 5-8 was “Enjoying a new kind of Tea Party.” In the 1770’s there was a movement of protest from the Colonists against the British due to taxes and laws. Along the eastern coast, a growing number of Patriots held “tea” parties. The Boston Tea Party was on December 16, 1773, and the Charlestown, South Carolina Tea Party and the Chester Town Tea Party followed in 1774. In October 1774, 51 women in Edenton, North Carolina, decided to refuse to buy tea from the British because of their high taxes and laws. In 1774, women in Wilmington, North Carolina, burned their tea for the same reasons. Imagine you are one of these women boldly participating in one of these Tea Parties in North Carolina. Give details of either the Edenton Tea Party or Wilmington Tea Party, describe the tea party, and why you would choose to join them. Then explain if you think it was a good decision.

The fifth-grade chapter winner of the American History Essay Contest is McCall Thompson, a student at Brookwood School. Chapter Regent Shelba Sellers and Historian Charlotte Brown presented Thompson with the American History Bronze Medal, Chapter Winner Certificate and monetary award. Brown is also the Chapter Committee Chair for American History.

Next, the award for the 2024-2025 American History Video Contest was presented. The topic for the video contest was “Enjoying a new kind of Tea Party.” In the 1770’s there was a movement of protest from the Colonists against the British due to taxes and laws. Along the eastern coast a growing number of Patriots held “tea” parties. The video contest is open to students in Grades 5-12. Videos submitted may be up to 3 minutes in length.

The 10th grade chapter winner of the American History Video Contest is Noelin Chaney, a student at Thomas County Central High School. After his video was shown, Chaney was presented with the American History Bronze Medal, Chapter Winner Certificate and monetary award from Regent Shelba Sellers and Historian Charlotte Brown.

The last award presented was for the Patriots of the American Revolution DAR High School Essay Contest. 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 DAR High School Essay Contest is Afton Karolee Sowards, an 11th grade student at Thomas County Central High School. After reading her essay on Marquis de Lafayette, Sowards was presented with the Patriots of the American Revolution Bronze Medal, Chapter Winner Certificate and monetary award by Chapter Regent Shelba Sellers and Historian Charlotte Brown.

After the awards were presented, Chapter Historian Charlotte Brown thanked Jo Ponzillo, Mary Margaret Quiggle, and Della Spence for their work judging the essays. Brown also thanked the parents and family members in attendance and teachers Delia Jackson from Brookwood School and Lisa Stephens from Thomas County Central High School for encouraging their students to participate in the DAR essay and video contests. The chapter’s winning essays were also submitted to the Southwest District Competition.

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 chapters.georgiastatedar.org/thomasville/ or the Chapter’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ThomasvilleChapterNSDAR.