DAR Good Citizen Essay Contest winners for 2025

Derreck Grant Uhls, a 2025 graduate of Triton Central High School, is this year’s Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Essay Contest winner for Shelby County.

Mary Mott Greene chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) sponsors the Good Citizens Program and Scholarship Contest annually, which is open to all high school seniors enrolled in state accredited public or private schools. Guidance department staff or teachers select one student as their school’s Good Citizen who displays the following qualities: Dependability (truthfulness, honesty, punctuality and so on); Service (cooperation, helpfulness, responsibility); Leadership, and Patriotism.

Each Good Citizen participates by submitting contest requirements that include the option to prepare a written essay on a topic provided by the NSDAR.

A panel of judges then selects one of the Good Citizens to represent Shelby County at the state competition level. Judges review each Good Citizens’ personal accomplishments within school and the community during their academic careers, letters of reference, and future plans.

Mary Mott Greene chapter awards each Good Citizen a DAR Good Citizens pin, certificate and graduation cord at their school’s senior award’s program. Uhls, son of Cathy M. Uhls of Fairland, also received a monetary award having been selected as the county’s overall Good Citizen.

Now that his high school education is complete, Uhls’ career goal is to become an airline pilot. He hopes to attend Purdue University “to undergo the correct education and training” for this career. During his years at Triton, he was a member of the golf and tennis teams, the Ping Pong Club and Spanish Club, Student Council, National Honor Society, and the Mentor/Mentee Program. Uhls was also a founding member of Triton’s Students Against Human Trafficking organization.

Representing their respective schools as DAR Good Citizens are:

· Allison Rene Marshall, Morristown Jr.-Sr. High School, daughter of Shelly Irene Marshall of Morristown. She plans to attend a liberal arts college to study biology and environmental science to become an environmental scientist.

· Mia Abigail Rolon, Shelbyville High School, was a member of show choir, National Honor Society, Spell Bowl, the Go Kart team, a sound technician for musicals, football and wrestling teams manager, prom committee member, and is a certified trainer for White Castle restaurant.

· Jaden Rose Freese, Southwestern Jr.-Sr. High School, daughter of Adrianne M. Freese, Flat Rock, plans to attend a four-year college to study in the medical and educational fields to become either a pediatric nurse, an elementary school teacher or take business courses to pursue a career in photography.

· Brooklyn Grace Hudnall, Waldron Jr.-Sr. High School, daughter of Kristen Leigh Hudnall, Shelbyville, plans to attend college to study in the areas of Psychology and Criminal Justice to become a Criminal Psychologist and work in the field of law enforcement.