Ashlynn Saffle is the first place winner of the Daughter’s of American Revolution History Contest in the State of Missouri.

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — School of the Ozarks eighth grader, Ashlynn Saffle, was an overall winner for the state of Missouri in the Daughters of the American Revolution History Essay Contest.

At School of the Ozarks, students in seventh and eighth grade participate in this contest yearly. It gives students an opportunity to hone their writing skills and enables them to research a patriotic topic. Students at School of the Ozarks have won at a local level for several years but last year was the first time an S of O student won at a state level, and this year they continued that streak.

If students win at the local level, they are invited to attend the annual Taney County DAR George Washington Tea in Forsyth, Missouri. There, students meet and get acquainted with local DAR members, enjoy tea and refreshments, and read their winning essays to the assembly.

Because of her win at the state level, Kynsley Orrell, last year’s winner, attended the Missouri DAR Convention and Banquet in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her family received accolades for her accomplishment, and she shared her winning essay with the audience. This year Ashlynn Saffle won overall for the state of Missouri, and she and her family will be honored in St. Louis in April with a meal and awards ceremony. Ashlynn will read her winning essay at this year's state convention.

“We are thrilled to have a state winner in the DAR American History Essay Contest for the second year in a row,” said Dr. Brad Dolloff, dean of School of the Ozarks. “Ashlynn Saffle is a dedicated and hardworking student who understands the value of patriotism and the Christian heritage of the United States. The fact that a student from School of the Ozarks has been the state winner two years running speaks volumes about the dedicated students we have at S of O and about the top-tier instruction delivered by Mrs. Jenni Carey and her colleagues. We are blessed to have excellent teachers like Mrs. Carey and devoted students like Ashlynn.”

This year's topic was “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Essay writers were asked to imagine they were newspaper reporters for The Philadelphia Times on May 14, 1897. The newspaper editor asked them to attend and report on the first public performance of John Philip Sousa’s new march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The students were to tell about Sousa’s life and the story behind the song, reporting their thoughts about the music and how the audience reacted to what was seen and heard that day.

“These prompts do not just encourage students to research America's history and write about it,” said Jenny Carey, Lower School lead teacher. “They invite the student to experience the past and appreciate all that has been done to mold and shape our great nation.”