Seventh-grade student Madeline Fry of Peachtree City has won the 2010 state Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) essay contest in her age classification and will now compete at the southeastern division level.
Fry was recognized at the 112th Georgia State Society DAR State Conference held March 25-28 in Peachtree City, when Becky West made the formal announcement and presentation during the School/Youth Luncheon on Saturday.
West, who chairs the American History Committee for the group, presented Fry with a silver medal, a certificate and a cash award. If Fry’s essay wins at the seven-state southeastern division in April, she will have a crack at the national competition in May at the DAR National Headquarters in Washington, D. C..
“Winning the DAR American History Essay Contest at the state level is quite an accomplishment,” West said. “This is especially true when one considers there are hundreds of students from the 112 DAR chapters throughout Georgia who enter.”
The 13-year-old -year-old home-schooled Fry wrote in the seventh-grade category about the first transcontinental railroad. In May of 1869, two railroad companies finished construction of the cross country project when they connected east-west lines in Utah.
The DAR writers were allowed to choose from various ways to discuss the topic. Fry chose that of an Irish worker summarizing the event in a letter to his wife at home in New York.
Fry is the daughter of Rev. Michael and Elizabeth Fry. Rev. Fry is the Rector of All Saints Anglican Church in Peachtree City.
Fry’s entry in the contest was sponsored by the James Waldrop DAR Chapter in Fayetteville which is led by Regent Betty Harrah.
