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Award recipient Evan Bass and Chapter Regent Debra Linn Idom Main.
The Joshua Stevens NSDAR Chapter of St. Cloud, on March 13, presented the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award Scholarship of $500 to Harmony High School senior, Evan Renee Bass.
The meeting was held at Kuppa Thyme Tearoom & Gift Shop in St. Cloud. Bass is an eighth generation Osceola County resident. Her parents are Robert and Alison Bass, of St. Cloud.
At the NSDAR chapter meeting, Bass read her winning essay, “Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility for Preserving It: How Do the Combined Actions of so Many Good Citizens Keep Our Nation Moving Forward?” The DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest, created in 1934, is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship.
“The key aspect of life is family. Because of my family’s legacy in this area, I want to give back,” said Bass. And give back she has. Bass has an extensive resume with scholarly achievements as well as a wide variety of community service.
At school, she has been the historian for her Student Council, co-editor of the Harmony High School Yearbook, 2019 winner of Top GPA Varsity Cheer, captain of the Varsity Cheerleading Squad and 2018 winner of the Longhorn Award in varsity softball.
Bass has a rigorous academic schedule, completing 11 Advanced Placement courses as part of her high school curriculum. She carries a weighted GPA of 4.27 with a goal of receiving the AP Capstone Diploma upon graduation. Bass plans to attend University of North Florida in Jacksonville and has her sights set on a degree in public administration.
Bass found her passion for public administration through her work at St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce in 2019 as well as an internship at the Lake Nona Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has also volunteered several years for the annual St. Cloud Christmas Parade, with her father, Robert Bass, as the chairman.
Bass has also volunteered with St. Cloud Meals on Wheels since she was very young, delivering meals with her grandparents. Volunteerism clearly is valued in her family throughout all generations.
For the past five years, Bass has served as a St. Cloud Little League Challenger Program buddy and coach. She coaches a team of mentally and physically handicapped children, helping them run, hit, throw and stay safe. As head coach, she supervises volunteers and players.
Bass said, “Many people tell me how I have impacted these kids and made their lives better; however, these athletes have completely transformed the outlook I have on my life and made me the person I am today. The moment I step on the field, they become part of my family. The determination I see each week makes me push myself harder because the athletes never let their disability define them. Seeing their grit, I have learned to overcome any obstacles I face with no excuse because they have shown me anything is possible with hard work.”
Bass is not only an outstanding student and volunteer, but also a musician. She plays violin and recently started playing the mandolin. She is also a certified scuba diver.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a women’s service organization whose members can trace their lineage to an individual who contributed to securing American independence during the Revolutionary War. Today’s DAR is dynamic and diverse, with over 185,000 members in 3,000 chapters in the United States and abroad. DAR members annually provide millions of hours of volunteer service to their local communities across the country and world. DAR chapters participate in projects to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Over 1 million members have joined the organization since its founding in 1890.
If you are interested in learning more about DAR membership, visit Joshua Stevens Chapter DAR Facebook page.
