DAR Announces Good Citizen Award Winners

Six South Orange County high school seniors were recently honored with Good Citizen Awards by the Mission Viejo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the DAR’s annual awards presentation.

Rebecca Soo from Mission Viejo High School, Genesis Sanders from El Toro High School, Cristine Kalinski from Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Paige Hanoka from Trabuco Hills High School, Ruby Kaura from Laguna Hills High School and Justin Mapanao from Tesoro High School received the Good Citizen Award for their high school. Each participating high school selects one graduating senior who best fulfills the DAR Good Citizen Award requirements of patriotism, service, leadership and dependability. The students also received cash awards from the DAR for the timed essays they wrote on a patriotic topic that was not revealed in advance.

At 195 members, the Mission Viejo Chapter of the DAR is one of the largest in the country. Throughout the year, the chapter’s members volunteer hundreds of hours to support veterans and active service men and women in the South Orange County area. The chapter also raises funds for historical preservation projects in the community, scholarships for local students and donations to underserved school children. Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background. Chapter volunteers are also available to assist prospective members with genealogical research.

The Mission Viejo Chapter serves Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Foothill Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, Dove Canyon and Ladera Ranch. More information can be found at http://missionviejo.californiadar.org/.

PHOTO CAPTION:

MISSION VIEJO, CALIF. – The Mission Viejo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently honored six high school seniors with Good Citizen Awards at the DAR’s annual awards ceremony. On hand for the ceremony were (left to right): Maryann Herrera, co-chair, DAR Good Citizens Award program; Cristine Kalinski, Santa Margarita Catholic High School; Paige Hanoka, Trabuco Hills High School; Rebecca Soo, Mission Viejo High School; Justin Mapanao, Tesoro High School; and DAR Chapter Regent Chris Hurst-Loeffler. Not pictured: Genesis Sanders, El Toro High School, and Ruby Kaura, Laguna Hills High School.