BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – It is a pleasure to announce that Grace Waryas has been named the 2022-2023 Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen for Bellows Falls Union High School. The DAR Good Citizen Award and Scholarship Contest, created in 1934, is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. Grace, a senior, is the daughter of Rebecca Bezanson in Bellows Falls.
This award is given based on the following criterion set forth by the DAR national organization: dependability (including truthfulness, loyalty, and punctuality), service (including cooperation, courtesy, and consideration of others), leadership (including personality, self-control, and ability to assume responsibility) and patriotism (including unselfish interest in family, school, community, and nation.) Grace clearly embodies these characteristics every day.
Grace has demonstrated dependability through her commitment to her classes, school activities and her community. She is a dedicated student who works hard in her courses. She completes her work with the quality, attention to due dates, and social consciousness commendable in a high school student. She is soft spoken, yet, she asserts herself and voices herself with conviction, dignity, self-respect, and an awareness of multiple perspectives. A member of the Marilee Huntoon Jesse A. Judd Chapter of the National Honor Society at Bellows Falls Union High School, she serves as a good role model to others. Grace has a strong work ethic and puts in extra time and effort to do well in her classes. She is an active learner who participates in class discussions. She is a pleasure to work with and an asset to any class or activity that she joins.
Grace has a “take charge” personality and is responsible and dependable in both academics and service. While at BFUHS Grace has participated in a number activities including the BFUHS concert band and Drama Club, UMatter, the Gender & Sexuality Alliance, and the Diversity and Equity Committee. As an active member of the BFUHS Student Council, and President of the group this year, Grace works hard to get everyone involved in activities and makes sure everyone’s voice is heard. She takes her role seriously. She is also a valued member of the BFUHS student newspaper, “The Howler.”
Grace is dedicated to helping others, and is very interested in activism; through her actions, and class assignments, she creatively addresses the social, economic, gender and racial injustices that too often lie at the heart of human struggle and tension.
Grace’s name fits her perfectly; she contributes to the school and community at large in a mature and informed manner. Her continual activism has given her years of wisdom beyond her years. She is an exceptional young woman who presents her views, and represents BFUHS positively through academics and as a volunteer in the community and state. Her volunteerism started at a young age when she had the opportunity to serve as a legislative page at the Vermont state house for six weeks. Willing to give selflessly to her community, Grace has also volunteered in the community by helping on the Santa Express and making bracelets for the seniors in the community who participate in the Meals on Wheels Program. She has partnered with Vermont Afterschool to offer ideas to the Governor’s team on why free and accessible afterschool programs for all youth in Vermont are important. This work included analysis on how to create new programs for people of all interests, how to fund the programs, how much of a factor youth leadership could be, how to take down barriers to these programs, etc. This group also launched a project called “Youth Voice” which worked to collect feedback and answers from youth across the state about their interests, their experiences with afterschool programs, what they wanted to see in programs, etc. Grace also served as a valued member of the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network (VSARN), a completely student led group.
Clearly deserving of this award, BFUHS is proud to have Grace Waryas serve as the BFUHS 2022-2023 DAR Good Citizen.