Pike Liberal Arts School senior Elaina Strother was named the Good Citizen of the Year for the Oliver Wiley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the chapter’s February meeting Wednesday.

Each high school in the county was invited to nominate a member of the senior class who displays the qualities of a good citizen – dependability, service, patriotism and leadership.

Joining Strother for the honor were Serenity Taylor, Goshen High School; Laken Maulden, Pike County High School; and Hillary Barron, Charles Henderson High School.

Mae Beth Gibson, chapter citizenship chair, said all four nominees are outstanding examples of good citizenship and all have excelled academically as well.

Each nominee submitted an essay that focused on the rights and freedoms that Americans enjoy and which freedom was most important to them as individuals.

Strother was unable to attend the meeting. Susan Carr, PLAS counselor, read Strother’s essay.

“For Elaina, freedom of religion is the most important,” Carr said.

In reading Strother’s essay, Carr said that she highlighted the strong Christian values that are evident in the Constitution. She pointed out that both the Declaration of Independence and the United State Constitution reference God and the Bible.

Strother stated that America has changed since prayer was taken out of the schools. She expressed appreciation that she attends a school where students can read the Bible and openly pray. She expressed a desire to set a good example for others to follow and to give back to her community.

At PLAS, Strother is a member of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Students and is a varsity cheerleader. She has volunteered with the Special Olympics and Relay for Life and was a South Alabama Electric Co-op delegate to a young conference in Washington D.C.

PCHS Good Citizen Laken Maulden is member of the National Honor Society. She is president of the Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the varsity volleyball team and a varsity cheerleader. She helps prepare Wednesday night suppers at her church. Maulden plans to attend Springhill College in Mobile and earn a degree in elementary education.

CHHS Good Citizen Hillary Barron is a member of the National Honor Society. She is a volunteer cheer coach at the Troy Recreation Department and also volunteers at Troy Regional Medical Center. She is a member of Collegedale Church of Christ. Barron plans to attend Troy University and pursue a degree is psychology.

GHS Good Citizen Serenity Taylor is also an honor student. In addition to her studies, she works at Pike Land and Timber Company as an office manager assistant. Taylor is also active with the Goshen rodeo team and a member of the amateur rodeo association.

She plans to attend Troy University and pursue a degree in information systems.

Gibson congratulated the 2016 DAR Good Citizens and wished them success in whatever career choices they make.