EDUCATION

SCHOLARSHIPS

A very important part of the DAR is promoting education. Each year, Illinois Daughters award college scholarships. They are limited to students who are U.S. citizens, graduating seniors from high school and those who will attend colleges or universities in Illinois (two year junior colleges and four year institutions). Applicants must have a letter of endorsement from an Illinois DAR chapter. To qualify for the Illinois State Scholarships, student's financial need and academic consideration are both factors.

The General Henry Dearborn History Scholarship has no financial need component, but is for a student interested in pursuing a career in some phase of history. Click here for application.

Additionally, one scholarship is awarded in each of the Illinois seven DAR districts. (Click here for state map to determine IL DAR Chapter closest to you.)

Only applications completed correctly and submitted in one package will be considered. Incorrect applications are discarded and no records are returned. All scholarships are awarded regardless of race, religion, sex, or national origin. An applicant can reapply for the next year if they maintain a 'C' average at college.

Students should describe how you felt on May 10, 1869, when the golden spike was driven at Promontory Summit, Utah, to celebrate the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Pretend you are either a settler planning to use the train to travel to your new home in the West, an Irish or Chinese worker who helped build the line, or a Native American whose way of life was greatly affected by the railroad.

DAR GOOD CITIZENS

The goal of the DAR Good Citizens program is encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The program is open to all senior class students enrolled in accredited public or private secondary schools who are in good standing with their state boards of education. United States citizenship is not required.

The student selected as the school’s DAR Good Citizen must have the qualities of dependability (which includes truthfulness, loyalty, and punctuality); service (which includes cooperation, courtesy, and consideration of others); leadership (which includes personality, self-control, and ability to assume responsibility); and patriotism (which includes unselfish interest in family, school, community, and nation) to an outstanding degree.

Each school’s DAR Good Citizen receives a DAR Good Citizen pin, certificate, and wallet recognition card. This student is then eligible, if he/she wishes, to enter the DAR Good Citizens Scholarship Contest.

Check with your high school office to see if they have received information from the local DAR Chapter about the DAR Good Citizens or for additional information and deadlines.

JUNIOR AMERICAN CITIZENS (JAC)

Many Illinois DAR Chapters sponsor Junior American Citizens clubs. The purpose of the JAC is to teach America's school children, through JAC clubs and contests, the principles of our democratic government and an appreciation for our great country. Through these opportunities and recognition of the student’s work, we hope to encourage today's Junior American Citizens -- the future leaders of our country.

DAR SCHOOLS

Through donations and gifts, the Illinois DAR supports two DAR Schools:
Kate Duncan Smith DAR School and Tamassee DAR School and the four DAR-approved schools: Hillside School, Inc., Hindman Settlement School, Inc., Berry College, Inc., and Crossnore School, Inc. Through our donations, the children at these schools are given opportunities for an education and a safe place to live.

Most of these schools began with a small group of children in disadvantaged areas where public education was not accessible. As improvement of roads and public education facilities occurred in these areas, the needs of the communities changed. The schools have grown into fully operational campuses, meeting the changing needs of their communities. Today the DAR Schools encompass a variety of special needs programs including attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, adult literacy, and children in family crisis. We also serve thousands of other eager students from pre-school through college who need a place to learn to fulfill their potential.

DAR members collect Box Tops for Education and Labels for Education for these schools.

LITERACY PROMOTION

Around big cities and small communities in Illinois, you will find Daughters working to promote literacy. Whether they are donating books to libraries, volunteering in local schools or libraries, or tutoring a student, or reading to a child or blind citizen, the members of the Illinois DAR are helping and encouraging others to read.