2025 Good Citizens Named by Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution

FEBRUARY 17, 2026, Libertyville, IL — The Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), announced its 2025 Good Citizen student award winners on Sunday, February 15, at the chapter meeting held at the Libertyville Civic Center.

About DAR Good Citizens
Created in 1934, the DAR Good Citizens program and scholarship contest is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The program is open to all senior class students enrolled in accredited public or private secondary schools that are in good standing with their state boards of education.

The student selected as the school's DAR Good Citizen must have the qualities of dependability (truthfulness, loyalty and punctuality); service (cooperation, courtesy and consideration of others); leadership (personality, self-control and ability to assume responsibility); and patriotism (unselfish interest in family, school, community and nation).

2025 Good Citizens

Four students were selected by their respective high school teachers and peers because they demonstrated these qualities throughout their four years in high school to an outstanding degree:

• Maria Therese Bukowski, Carmel High School
• Samantha Boos Calderón, Vernon Hills High School
• Cecily Grace Hamburg, Libertyville High School
• Ella Brianne Novotney, Mundelein High School

The Ansel Brainerd Cook DAR Good Citizen's Award and Scholarship Contest Chairman, Elizabeth Coyne, works with the school counselors from each of the participating high schools in the local area to have them submit a "Good Citizen" to represent their school.

“Congratulations to our 2025 Good Citizens. These four young women represent the very best of character, leadership, service and patriotism in our community,” said Peg Pracht, Chapter Regent, Ansel Brainerd Cook. “Each of our award recipients has earned the respect of teachers, peers and family through her integrity, commitment and heart for others. It is truly a pleasure to recognize their accomplishments and bright futures.”

Each school's DAR Good Citizen received a DAR Good Citizen pin, certificate, wallet recognition card and a monetary award.

About the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)

The DAR is a non-profit, non-political, volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education. Membership is open to any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who served the cause of American independence. You can learn more about membership qualifications here.

About the Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter

Members of the Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter have been proudly serving the Libertyville-Mundelein-Vernon Hills area of Lake County, Illinois since 1977. We are 180+ members strong and growing. Our members range in age from 18 to 93 juniors to seniors. Our roster includes women with careers, students, homemakers, young moms and retirees. We are mothers, grandmothers, and most importantly Daughters. We are united in our love of God, Home, and Country. We honor the service our patriot ancestors gave for American Independence by providing service to our communities.

For more information, please contact Ansel Brainerd Cook chapter at: https://www.ildar.org/chapters/anselbrainerdcook or email us at: ABC4DAR@gmail.com