SALISBURY -- During the Oct. 15 meeting of the local Elizabeth Maxwell Steele DAR Chapter, Regent Linda James welcomed everyone including students, their families and school personnel.
Dicy McCullough, recording secretary for the chapter and chair of the Good Citizen Committee, served as emcee for the presentation. Serving alongside McCullough as co-chair of the committee was Rhonda Cleary, who was unable to be at the event.
McCullough shared the award process telling that the four pillars of the Good Citizen are patriotism, leadership, service and dependability.
In information provided by James about the award, it said, it is open only to seniors and "is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship."
Eight schools were represented this year with one student from each winning at the school level and one of those was selected as the Elizabeth Maxwell Steele DAR Chapter winner.
The Good Citizen Award winners and their schools are:
In addition to providing information about how they achieved the four traits, the students were to write an essay on the theme of "American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It."
McCullough called each student forward and shared highlights of their achievements and future plans and presented them with a pin and monetary gift.
"We have some really impressive students, she said. After reading about each student, she said, "our future looks bright."
Three of the students, Gracelyn Lowe, Nevaeh McCullough and ChyNue Vang, were unable to be at the ceremony. The others were on hand for the event to receive their prizes.
Some of the student highlights include:
Atwell, an AP Scholar, serves as president of the student body and Key Club and is a member of the School Spirit Club, National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society.
He is team captain of the varsity men's tennis team and manager for the varsity women's team.
Atwell volunteers through the Key Club at the Kiwanis Pancake Festival and the High Rock Lake Sweep and has gathered non-perishable goods for victims of Hurricane Helene.
His future plans include pursuing a degree in nursing and has a goal of becoming a pediatric nurse.
Droddy is a member of the National Honor Society and served as student council junior class representative and house leader.
Captain of the swim and tennis teams, she is a member of the varsity track team and was voted MVP on the varsity swim team for two years and won the Field Christian Character Award.
She is part of her church and the school's praise and worship team singing and playing the piano, and has served through missions traveling to different countries.
Her future plans include pursuing a degree in sports broadcasting with a focus on sports journalism.
Hancock has dual enrollment at Summit Virtual Academy and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and served as a junior marshal.
She is a member of the Scholars and Leaders Club at RCCC, serving as president helping coordinate and plan local events.
Hancock serves as a senior class advisor and peer mentor, encouraging classmates to navigate academic and personal goals. She is also skilled with problem solving and critical thinking, technology and research.
Her future plans are to major in business at RCCC.
Lowe is a member of the Future Farmers of American serving through the years as secretary, vice-president and currently president.
She is a member of National Technical Society, Junior Civitan, Key Club, Student Council, National Honor Society, Youth Commission International, Sigma Phi Gamma and Science Club.
Lowe served as a junior marshal and is a Crosby Scholar.
She is involved with the Gold Hill Historic Preservation Society and during the bicentennial last year, oversaw all of the historic activity stations.
Her future plans are to attend N.C. State or Virginia Tech to major in horticulture engineering.
Wanting to make a difference in agriculture, she and a sibling run a small produce business called Ginger Sister Farms Goods, growing and selling produce to the community.
McCullough is a member of the National Honor Society, U-Lead and Service U, and through these organizations has served others and developed leadership skills.
As a part of the school's yearbook staff, she worked to perfect her editing and publishing skills. She also enjoys photography and often takes photos of West Rowan Falcon games.
McCullough is a state qualifying wrestler and a member of the first WRHS female wrestling team.
Working and volunteering at Oak Park, she wants to attend Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, eventually transferring to Western Carolina or Wingate to earn a degree in physical therapy.
Rose-Morris has dual enrollment in the Early College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
The senior editor for the Rowan County Early College 2025 yearbook, he is a Crosby Scholar and member of the National Honor Society and the Youth Leadership Rowan Class of 2025.
He mentors and tutors fellow students in math, physics and general education.
Committed to the community, Rose-Morris volunteers by giving away toys and writing to the Salisbury Post on issues that he views as important.
His goal is to further his education at N.C. State, which it was noted is his first choice, or an Ivy League school and eventually earning a PhD in physics.
Rose-Morris said his desire is to change the world one research paper at a time.
Vang has dual enrollment in North Rowan High School and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and is in the process of getting his associates in engineering.
On the dean's list, he is student council president and is a member of the National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars and served as chief junior marshal.
A Crosby Scholar, Vang is a member of the Key Club, Junior Civitans, Robotics Club and Yearbook Committee.
Vang is a member of the JROTC serving as battalion commander and is the first cadet colonel in the NRHS ROTC program's history.
He has received academic excellence awards in math, science and Spanish and earned varsity letters in tennis, track and field and wrestling.
He attended Tar Heel Boys State and N.C. Governor's School in 2024. Vang was accepted into and completed the USNA Summer Seminar 2024 and the U.S. Naval Stem and Leadership program.
His future plans are to attend the United States Naval Academy and major in aerospace engineering, and to earn his wings as a naval aviator. His greatest aspiration is to become a NASA astronaut.
Williams is a member of multiple organizations and has served as an officer in each including the Junior Civitans as co-president and club secretary; vice-president of the National Honor Society; and vice president and currently co-president of the Nature Club.
She served as junior marshal and is a member of the board of directors for the Salisbury YMCA.
A member of the variety women's tennis team from 2022 to the present, Williams has been a state semi-finalist and all state. In her senior year, she was team captain and first seed.
Williams has been a member of the varsity swim team and the varsity women's soccer team.
She volunteers with various groups including Rowan Helping Ministries, Meals on Wheels and Toys for Tots. Williams has made several international service trips including going to Guatemala and Mexico.
Her future plans include attending Clemson or the University of Tennessee to study criminology and become a criminal investigator.