At the Daughters of the American Revolution State House in Glendora, local student Liza Stiefel won the District X American History Essay Award. Liza was sponsored by the local Don Josè Verdugo Chapter and was selected by a committee of DAR members including committee chair Caroline Craven of La Cañada. Liza will now compete to represent California.

Liza attends Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. What ignites her interest most at school are the sciences, especially anatomy physiology, along with United States history and creative writing. 

Outside of school she is a senior company member at Pasadena Civic Ballet and a dancer for Veritas Dance Project through her school. She is a student choreographer and is presently putting together her own group piece for a concert this year. She volunteers as a teacher’s aide at Dolores Mission School and at the Pasadena and Burbank humane societies and was chosen to be a volunteer at RAD (Rising Above Disabilities), a summer camp for the disabled. In her free time she loves reading, listening to music and being with her friends. She hopes to major in human physiology with the goal of becoming a physical therapist.

The essay topic was to select a figure from the era of the American Revolution. Liza chose Deborah Sampson and discussed how she influenced the course of the American Revolution, who she was and her contribution to the founding of a new nation.

What Liza found most interesting was witnessing the power of women, taking charge of their own life and doing whatever they could to meet their goals, even though it meant risking it all. Liza hopes to embody Deborah Sampson‘s passion and determination throughout her life and use her experience as a reminder to work hard and never give up.        

Learn more about the Daughters of the American Revolution and their commitment to historic preservation, education and patriotism by visiting www.DAR.org.