The Sashabaw Plains Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens 2024 Madison Schmidt and Jack Romkema. Photo by Joette Kunse

By Joette Kunse
Special to the Clarkston News
The Sashabaw Plains Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) honored two Independence Township students as Good Citizens in 2024.
Madison Schmidt, Clarkston High School senior, daughter of Jesse and Nicole Schmidt and Our Lady of the Lakes High School senior, Jack Romkema, son of Mike and Karen Romkema were named Good Citizens for their schools.
This award recognizes and rewards high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes and schools.
Students are given the topic and placed in a quiet space without any resources and asked to write an essay on the topic. This year’s topic was “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It” with a focus question: What are the civic responsibilities of a good citizen and why are these duties, activities and behaviors important to the shaping of the America you hope to experience?”
“I was excited by the title of the essay and I have a passion about remembering the past and learning from our mistakes,” Schmidt said.
She credits her grandfather with giving her the love of history as well as her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Mitch Phillips, at North Sashabaw Elementary. History and AP Government are her favorite classes.
Schmidt’s college plans are to study political science and law at possibly Michigan State University. She has been a Girl Scout since first grade and has competed in Future Problem Solving and will be going to the FPS state competition soon. She is the President of the Debate Club and is very passionate about mock debates.
“I see a good citizen as someone who serves the people around them and makes their community better. It is important to look out for people around you so all can succeed,” said Romkema, a senior at Our Lady of the Lakes High School.
Romkema will be going to Notre Dame University next year where he will study Economics and Mathematics. At Our Lady of the Lakes, his favorite class was AP Calculus. He is one of the captains of the football team, as well as a member of the varsity baseball, bowling and golf teams.
The Sashabaw Plains Chapter, NSDAR has honored local high school seniors with the Good Citizen award for more than 40 years.