Darien’s Fifth Grade DAR 2025 Essay Contest Winner Announced

DARIEN, CT —Darien’s Good Wife’s River Chapter, Inc. Daughters of the American Revolution has announced the winners of their recently held fifth grade American history essay contest.

Students were asked to give details of either the Edenton Tea Party or Wilmington Tea Party, describe the specifics of the event, and explain why they would have chosen to join the participants.

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 Dec. 16, 1773, and the Charlestown, SC, Tea Party and the Chester Town Tea Party followed in 1774.

In October 1774, 51 women in Edenton, NC, decided to refuse to buy tea from the British because of their high taxes and laws. In 1775, women in Wilmington, NC, burned their tea for the same reasons. Students were asked to: imagine you are one of these women boldly participating in one of these tea parties in North Carolina.

Hindley Elementary School fifth grader Myla Thomas won first place in the essay contest. Her essay has been sent to the Connecticut State DAR where it will compete on the state level with other winning fifth grade essays from across Connecticut.

Ox Ridge Elementary School fifth grader Ella K. Balevich won second place, and Hindley fifth grader Anushka Doiphode won third place.

Students gathered on the front steps of the Noroton Presbyterian Church recently to be honored by DAR Essay Contest Chairman Sandi MacPherson and Karen K. Polett, Good Wife’s River Regent, along with other Chapter members, parents, grandparents, school principals and teachers.

Barrett Bookstore owner Sheila Daley generously donated gift certificates and the DAR Chapter presented award certificates.