Quincy DAR chapter selects Good Citizen award winners for six Adams County high schools

QUINCY — The Dorothy Quincy Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution recently selected its Good Citizen award winners for high schools in Adams County. Winners are selected by each school based on grades, school activities, community service, leadership, patriotism and writing skills.

Good Citizen award winners are:

Annabelle Schaffnit, Unity High School. Annabelle has been a member of the Ursa Willing Workers 4-H Club for nine years, serving as treasurer, vice president and now president for two years. She led the club in one of their biggest projects ever, Wreaths Across America. Annabelle is vice president of her senior class, a member of the student council and a member of FFA. Annabelle is active in softball and basketball and maintains honor roll status. She was Unity’s Student of the Month for September 2021.
Annabelle hopes to have a career in agriculture after college.

Anya Nanjappa, Quincy High School. She is a member of the National Honors Society, QHS Student Council, Beta Club and varsity golf. Anya was the Exchange Club of Quincy’s Youth of the Month for September. She won the All-Western Big Six Conference award in recognition of outstanding athletic achievement. She also has passed the Illinois Achievement in Music in piano with distinction. Anya hopes to pursue a pre-medical program in college.

McKenzie Schmidt, Liberty High School. McKenzie is a four-year member of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. She also is a winner of the Student Academic Achievement award for four years. She was selected to serve as an intern at QUANADA for two years. She is interested in the arts and film making and plans to major in film programming in college.

Emily Strieker, Quincy Notre Dame. Emily is a member of the Society for Academic Achievement, the National Honors Society and is ranked first in her class. She has accumulated more than 154 hours of volunteer community service during high school. Emily is part of both the QND and Sheridan swim teams. She is a member of several school choirs and has participated in Madrigals and Glee Club. After college, Emily hopes to become a licensed architect.

Alanna Edgecomb, Central High School. Alanna is a member of the National Honor Society, student council and has served as class treasurer for three years. She is involved with Central’s pep, marching and concert bands, playing flute, clarinet and saxophone, and has been a drum major for two years. Alanna is ranked first in her class. In college she hopes to earn a degree in music performance while studying pre-law, and then a law degree focused on becoming a music attorney.

Presley Wiseman, Payson Seymour High School. Presley is a member of the Society of Academic Achievement, National Honor Society and is valedictorian of her class. She was Payson Seymour’s Student of the Month in September 2021. She has been active in music and art and served as ACO Crush softball captain for four years in a row. After college, she hopes to attend law school.

All six of this year’s Good Citizens participated in the essay portion of the competition. Judges were non-DAR members. The overall winner was Schaffnit. Her essay and accompanying packet of information have been sent to the district level for further judging.