American Legion High School Awards Program

Post 19 has, for many years, sponsored the American Legion School Awards Program at area high schools during those schools’ graduation ceremonies. Post 19 Legionnaire Glenn Doherty chaired this esteemed young adult recognition program from 1977 to 2003, and he made sure the awards were presented starting on May 16, 1977. Normally one boy and one girl preparing to graduate from Jennings and Hathaway High Schools are selected by their peers to receive the prestigious award. In April of each year a letter outlining the selection requirements is forwarded to each school’s principal. The school awards program is designed to place emphasis on the development of the qualities of courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship and service. Members of the graduating class and their school faculty cast secret ballots to determine which graduating boy and girl best typify the qualities of a model citizen previously stated. The awards are presented at each school’s graduation ceremony in May. Legionnaire Sam Doucet volunteered to assist Glenn with the program’s detailed preparation during the latter years of Glenn’s Chairmanship. Glenn then recommended Sam’s appointment as School Awards Chairman beginning in 2004. At one time the Post was presenting the awards to honorees from seven different high schools. As more American Legion posts joined the American Legion High School Awards Program, Post 19's workload in this area has diminished, and the Post now recognizes graduates from two area high schools, Jennings High School and Hathaway High School. The Photo Gallery for our Post History has a list of American Legion High School Award winners recognized by Post 19 from 1977 to present.