Two local high school students - Jillian Evans from Coatesville Area Senior High School and Julia Vito from Bishop Shanahan High School, Downingtown - were among six students who were recognized as Good Citizens by the Chester County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (CCDAR) during the March 7 CCDAR meeting held at Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Chester.

The other Good Citizens award receipients were Monica Dolan, Henderson High School, West Chester; Jordan Kane, Oxford Area High School; Hailey Hurlebaus, Unionville High School; and Seneca McCaw, Octorara Junior-Senior High School.

Each year, the CCDAR presents the Good Citizens Award to local high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools and communities. The students are chosen for the honor by their respective high schools.

The honorees have the option to apply for a scholarship at the state level. Part of the application includes completing an essay. The topic of this year's essay was "Our American Heritage and Our Responsibly for Preserving It." The focus question was "How do the qualities of a good citizen (dependability, service, leadership and patriotism) help support our nation?"

Three of the award winners, including Jillian, were on hand to read their essays during the March 7 meeting. In her essay, Jillian examines each of the Good Citizens traits, with the conclusion that all of the qualities are necessary in a good leader.

"The qualities of a Good Citizen are not independent of each other; however, they work together," Jillian wrote. "For example, a leader cannot strengthen our nation without being dependable and reliable, participating in acts of service or simply having a sense of pride in the nation. Our nation rests on the shoulders of those who embrace and embody dependability, service, leadership and patriotism as an example for us to emulate."

The students were presented with a certificate, pin and monetary award by Dawn Coughlan, CCDAR regent, and Erin DeWolf, Good Citizens Award chair. Sen. John Kane and Michael Hartman, representing Sen. Carolyn Comitta, presented the students with a certificate on behalf of the Pennsylvania State Senate.

In addition to sponsoring the annual Good Citizens Award and the American History Essay Contest for middle and high school students, CCDAR, founded in 1894, supports the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center and honors American heroes at the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Birmingham-Lafayette Cemetery. Visit http://www.ccdar.org to learn more.