Sumter DAR announces annual essay contest winners

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Fifth- through eighth-grade students in Sumter's public and private schools were invited to participate in the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay contest.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower and the founding of the Plymouth Colony. Students were asked to imagine that they are one of the passengers on the Mayflower. Knowing what materials were available in 1620, what would they have packed to prepare for the trip and start a new life in the wilderness?

After experiencing more than two months at sea, then finally landing at Plymouth Colony on Nov. 9, 1620, students were also asked to write about if they thought they would have made different choices and why.

Essay winners were Piper Hitch from Thomas Sumter Academy, Jayla Aujanae Frink from R.E. Davis College Preparatory Academy and Juliet Keenan from Alice Drive Middle School. Juliet was also named the state winner.

High school students were also recognized for good citizenship. The DAR Good Citizens program and scholarship is designed to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The student selected as each school's DAR Good Citizen must have the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.

Good citizenship winners were Michael Anthony Conte from Thomas Sumter Academy, Kirsten Lynn Frans from Sumter Christian School, Travis Allen Johnson from Crestwood High School, Mary Catherine Matthews from Wilson Hall School, Karah Lynnae McKenzie from Sumter High School and Darby Cheyenne Watford from Lakewood High School (chapter winner).