By JUDY SHERARD
Hays DAR

Hays High School senior Trinity Callis was named the winner of the Courtney-Spalding Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Scholarship.

She was recognized with a certificate, pin and wallet card, as well as a $100 scholarship, at the Feb. 17 chapter meeting.

Trinity, daughter of Ralph and Laci Callis, was nominated as the Hays High DAR Good Citizen by the school’s faculty, Hays High counselor Suellyn Stenger said.

Students selected must exhibit dependability, service, leadership and patriotism, according to the DAR website. “Patriotism means doing what’s right, no matter the circumstances,” Callis said.

In addition to serving as STUCO president, Trinity “is a talented, well-rounded student. She’s awesome,” Stenger said. Trinity also is a member of the musical group TX3 with her brothers, Tristan and Tanner.

Seniors named their school’s DAR Good Citizen have the option of entering the scholarship competition. The competition is two parts including a personal section describing how the student manifests the qualities of a good citizen, grade transcripts and letters of recommendation. A second part is a 550-word essay completed at one sitting without reference materials with no prior knowledge of the topic.

As the local chapter winner, Callis’s essay was entered in the state competition. Mary Hayford, Shawnee Mission, was named the state winner. “It’s a really tough competition,” Sherrie Smith, Courtney-Spalding Chapter Regent, said.

Senior Abria Fisher, daughter of Eva Kenter, was named the Quinter High School DAR Good Citizen.

“All students who are named their school’s Good Citizen, even if they opt not to participate in the essay contest, get a certificate, pin and wallet card, and they can put ‘DAR Good Citizen’ on their resume,” Smith said.