Objectives

The purpose of this program is to encourage and reward senior high school students who have shown the qualities of good citizenship. We recognize a student who has been selected by his/her high school. The student who receives this award receives a DAR Good Citizens pin, certificate, wallet recognition card, and a U.S. Savings Bond. This student then becomes eligible to enter the DAR Good Citizens Scholarship Contest.

DAR Good Citizenship Medals

The award is presented to selected students in grades 5 through 11 who fulfill the qualities of honor, service, courage, leadership and patriotism. The recipient receives a Good Citizenship Medal and a certificate.

American History Essay Contest

This contest is open to all grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. The purpose is to promote American History. For 2006-2007, the essay topic is “Jamestown Colony is Settled”; “To help commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, take on the persona of one of the early settlers. Write a letter to your family members who remained in England, and tell them about the activities and hardships involved with helping to establish the settlement. In your letter, be sure to include information about your fellow settlers, as well.” One winner is selected from each grade and they continue on to compete at district level.

ROTC Medals

Los Gatos Chapter proudly presents this award yearly to a Santa Clara University ROTC student. We present our award during the annual awards ceremony, which is truly inspirational, and we are very happy to have the opportunity to participate.

The following information outlines the criteria to selection of the recipient of the DAR ROTC Medal:

“ROTC medals and campaign bars are awarded to student cadets of outstanding ability and achievement in secondary school, junior college, college, or university ROTC programs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Naval Sea Cadet Units. ROTC medals have been awarded by the DAR since 1967 because the ROTC is such an important source of trained officers for our armed forces.

 

”Selection of the students to receive the DAR ROTC awards is made by professors of military science and the principal or head of the schools, junior colleges, colleges, or universities. A student must have demonstrated qualities of dependability and good character, adherence to military discipline, leadership ability and a fundamental and patriotic understanding of the importance of ROTC training.”

DAR Supported Schools

The theme for 2004-2006 is “Ring the bells for the DAR Schools.” The program started “as early as 1903, when the NSDAR established a Patriotic Education Committee.” This has evolved over the years to the DAR School Committee. “Most of these schools began with a small group of children in disadvantaged areas where public education was not accessible. As the improvement of roads and public education facilities occurred in these areas, the needs of the communities changed. They have grown into fully operational campuses, meeting the changing needs of their communities. Today the DAR Schools encompass a variety of special needs programs including attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, adult literacy, and children in family crisis. We also serve thousands of other eager students from pre-school through college who need a place to learn to fulfill their potential.”

Our Los Gatos Chapter collects Campbell’s Soup labels, Box Tops for Education, and empty toner cartridges to contribute to DAR schools. We will be exploring additional ideas in the future.

DAR Service for Our Armed Forces

Los Gatos Chapter is very involved with the United Service Organization (USO) at the San Jose International Airport. We volunteer our time, and donate bottled water, Cup of Noodles, Cup of Soups, boxes of juice, coloring books, crayons, and paperback books. We have learned that phone cards are very much needed, so we will be adding them to our donations this year. We have several ladies who donate their time to meet and greet our brave men and women who come through the USO.

DAR Service for Veteran Patients

Los Gatos Chapter is a strong supporter of the VA Medical Center in Palo Alto. Some of the things we do are provide handmade lap robes, party favors for Christmas trays, Christmas cards, calendars, and paperback books. We have a dedicated chairman who continues to look for new ways in which we can lend a hand to our veteran patients. We were very involved in raising funds for the building of the newly opened Fisher House which houses family members of wounded veterans being treated at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. We are very proud that we were able to raise funds to help out in this worthwhile project.

The Flag of the United States of America

The Flag is a symbol of our country, and we feel great pride when we are able to promote the Flag and to see it used correctly. Our chapter provides Flags to schools, libraries, and various other places. We continue to look for new venues to distribute the flag.

Historic Preservation

Los Gatos Chapter is actively working to place an historical marker at Casa Grande in New Almaden. We hope to have completed this project by Fall of 2007. We look forward to working on other projects in the future. Local history groups are encouraged to contact us, so we can explore possibilities for future markers.

Scholarships

Those needing information on scholarships that the DAR offers should visit the DAR website at www.dar.org. All applicants will need to have a letter of sponsorship from a local chapter. Please feel free to contact us at losgatosdar@hotmail.com.

*Some information on these pages is quoted from the DAR National and State websites.