Members of the Lone Star Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (Lone Star DAR) proudly announced their 2016-2017 award winners to a standing room only crowd in Texarkana, Texas on Sunday. “As far as the number of award winners, this was a banner year for us,” said Lone Star DAR Regent Tammie Duncan Blackburn. We had a total of 8 state winners and 3 national winners as well as several local awards.
Longtime Texarkana College professor, Texas Stream Team pioneer and Cass County native, Delores McCright, was presented with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Conservation Medal for her lifetime of dedication to water conservation and environmental protection. “Mrs. McCright has been a tireless trail blazer. Decades ago, she began cutting the paths we all walk down today. Her long list of accomplishments include starting the first recycling program at Texarkana College, establishing the first ever outdoor wetlands classroom and training hundreds of water quality volunteer monitors through Texas Stream Team. The legacy of her body of work will be positively felt for generations to come,” said Lone Star DAR Historian Andrea Williams-McCoy.
Arts educator, Judy Jones, received the National Award for Excellence in Community Service for her service with Art Smart, Women for the Arts and serving as the longtime co- chair of the highly successful event, Party with Picasso. To date, Mrs. Jones has helped raised over $400,000 in support of the arts in the Texarkana region.
Kendall Johnson, a 7th grader at Pleasant Grove Middle School, took top honors at the Texas DAR State Conference in the American History Essay Contest. Her essay highlighted the U.S. National Parks System.
In the Junior American Citizen (JAC) Contest, Lone Star DAR had 7 winners, placing at the state, regional and national levels. JAC Winners included:
Heath Wood – 3rd Grade, St. James Day School
Stamp Contest – 1st Place, State, 1st Place, South Central Division, Honorable Mention, National
Lalia Tobia- 4th Grade, Morriss Elementary School
Poem Contest – 1st Place, State, 2nd Place, South Central Division
Paige Reeves – 4th Grade, Morriss Elementary School
Poster Contest – 1st Place, State
Wyatt Boyette – 2nd Grade, Morriss Elementary School
Poster Contest – 1st Place, State
Adam Orr – 2nd Grade, St. James Day School
Stamp Contest – 1st Place, State
Jack Sadowski – 1st Grade, St. James Day School
Stamp Contest – 1st Place, State
“I want to thank the parents and teachers for helping make this our most successful year with the JAC Contest. We have such talented students in this area and I am so pleased that their talents are being recognized,” said Lone State DAR Vice Regent Marji Fuerst.
Other winners included Pleasant Grove High School Senior, William Hlavinka. Mr. Hlavinka won the Good Citizen Essay Contest and received a $500 college scholarship and Lone Star DAR member, Jean Hickerson, for her Texas-themed quilt which won 1st Place in the State Fiber Arts American Heritage Contest.
Lone Star DAR has promoted the missions of education, conservation, preservation and patriotism in the Texarkana community for more than 105 years. For more information please visit us on Facebook @LoneStar
