Boothbay Region High School senior Sinead Miller was awarded the annual Lincoln County Good Citizenship Award by Daughters of the American Revolution’s Regent Louise Brown on Saturday, May 9, at the Lincoln Home in Damariscotta. This year's essay topic was: “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving it.”

In an excerpt from Miller's 538-word essay, she concludes, “The only factor that makes us American are the choices that we make. If we choose to gain citizenship, if we choose to look past discrimination, if we choose to serve our country, that makes us American. Every time we choose to be respectful or patriotic or loving, no matter what our inheritance, we are making the decisions that preserve our nation’s success. Our duty as Americans is to help America grow, and we can’t do that as a whole, if we’re stunting our growth as individuals.”

People can read the essay in its entirety on the Pemaquid Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution Facebook page.

Besides Miller, other local high school winners were Erika J. Auger for Wiscasset and Jordan Emily Moore for Medomak Valley High School.

Miller's essay was entered into the state competition whose winner was Madeleine Seeley of Washington Academy in Machias. Seeley’s essay went on for the New England competition. Jasmine Waite of Southport attending the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone, took second place in the state DAR contest.

Miller will be attending Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts in the fall.