The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)  sponsors a Good Citizen award each year to a student at Walpole High School who exhibits great service to their community as well as qualities of a good citizen. The Aaron Guild chapter of the DAR Association is the local chapter that sponsors students in the area located in Norwood. WHS faculty nominates a few students who express qualifying traits, and from there students have a say in who is awarded for their honor and service. The student granted is eligible to win a scholarship from the DAR Association after following through with an application process. 

In order to be an honoree of the award, one must demonstrate traits such as leadership, service , dependability and patriotism. The seniors chosen must exemplify  an article participation in bettering their community as well as possessing leadership roles and values. The award honors the student for their engagement and achievement throughout their time in high school 

Sophia Brownsword, senior at WHS, was nominated for the 2022 Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen award. On Wednesday Nov. 9, Brownsword will attended a chapter meeting at the First Baptist Church in Westwood where members of the committee will recognize and present the award to her. 

“I definitely did not expect to receive the award, but I felt a lot of self-pride and happy that the work I do in the community is actually beneficial and recognized as such.” Brownsword said. 

At WHS, Brownsword serves prominent leadership roles such as vice president of the senior class, an editor-in-chief of the WHS newspaper and vice president of Women’s Defense and Safety Club as well as doing much for the community as she participates in student council activities and sporting teams. Outside of school, Brownsword volunteers at different organizations within the community, such as volunteering at local animal shelters.

 “Outside of school I volunteer at Forever Home and Rescue New England in Medfield and help with fostering dogs.” Brownsword said. “I have also led my own fundraisers for the Travis Roy Foundation during high school. I have also spent the past two years volunteering at the youth soccer camp the town puts on at the end of August.”  

Inside of school she participates in the standard NHS volunteering which is more peer tutoring as well as volunteering at school events like back to school night or parent teacher conferences. For the DAS club she ran a fundraiser with the rest of the executive board that sold bracelets and raised money for a local women’s shelter.

There is much Brownsword has done in her time at WHS that allows for this award granted to her. The time she has spent serving her community inside and outside of school, holding the leadership positions she does speaks for her merit.. Students who attend WHS can all attest to Brownsword’s hard work and drive. 

“I’m really grateful to have received the award, and grateful to be able to now enter a larger scholarship competition because of it.”  Brownsword said.