The Sierra Amador Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, honored several Amador County students recently at an afternoon tea for winners of the annual DAR essay contests.

Emilee Fragapane, a home-schooled senior, won the Christopher Columbus Award with her essay on five perils faced by Columbus' expedition and how Columbus and his crew overcame them. Fragapane received a $200 cash award and her essay went on to compete at the district level. Winners at that level then compete at the state level.

In the American history essay contest, students were asked to write about the message that the Gettysburg Address communicated to the war-torn nation in 1863. Each winning student received a cash award of $50. This contest is open to grades fifth through eighth. The sixth-grade winner was Makenzie Johnson from Community Christian School. The seventh-grade winner was Monique Salinger of Jackson Junior High. Their essays also went on to compete at the district level.

Michael Adair of Argonaut High School was the recipient of the DAR Good Citizen Award for outstanding senior at Argonaut High, while Nicholas Skiba was the recipient of the Good Citizen Award for outstanding senior at Amador High School. In addition, Adair also entered and won the Good Citizen Essay Contest and received a cash award of $300.

The DAR essay contests are open to all students in public, private or home schools. Students in fifth through eighth grades may enter the American history essay contests in the fall and students in ninth through 12th grades may enter the Christopher Columbus essay contest. The Good Citizen Award is given to the top senior at each high school, with the option to also compete in the essay contest. Essay topics are announced early in the school year and the deadlines are Nov. 1 for the Good Citizen and Nov. 30 for the others.

For further information about Sierra Amador Chapter, NSDAR, or the contests, contact Ruth Johnson at 267-5198, or Barbara McMahon at 295-7182.