On Saturday, March 31 Grant Curtis, in blue shirt with ribbon, and his family traveled to the Franklin Marriot Hotel for the Tennessee Daughters of the American Revolution awards luncheon. As Grant and his family were ushered in to the banquet room Grant commented, “Wow, there are a lot of people here!”   And indeed there were about 450 DAR members and guests present for the luncheon. After the meal, Grant was called to the stage to receive his award. He was presented a state DAR excellence in history medal, a certificate and a check for $50. As they posed for the official photograph Grant asked, “So you mean I won the state?”
Yes indeed, Grant Curtis, a fifth grader at Northside Elementary School won the state Daughters of the American Revolution essay for 2012. As the awards continued  other various contests that Grant would be eligible to enter where shown to him. The essay contest is open to grades 5-8 with a winner in each grade level every year.  For the artistic students, there is a poster contest for sixth-seventh and eight-grade students. This year’s topic was “Andrew Jackson & the Tennessee Volunteers at the Battle of New Orleans.” At the high school level students may enter the Christopher Columbus essay contest which always centers around some aspect of his discovery of America. A high school senior is selected each year for the DAR Good Citizens Award and then there are college scholarships given to students entering the field of medicine and also some phase of historic preservation or education.   Finally there are awards for Outstanding Teachers of American History. The members of the Caney Fork DAR chapter salute Grant for his essay and hope that others will be inspired to enter because of his example.  Congratulations Grant Curtis!