By Bonnie Briscoe/Gila Valley DAR
In May, the Gila Valley Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented the 2025 DAR Good Citizen Award at honor assemblies at high schools in Graham and Greenlee Counties. One student was chosen from each senior class based on the exceptional ways they demonstrated qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. The process for making the selection varied among schools but typically included school administrators, teachers, counselors, and students from the senior class. The following are the honored good citizens, their qualities, and involvement in activities for this award:
Cameryn Woodall, from Morenci High School, is dedicated to whatever she puts her heart into, and she will persevere until it is accomplished. She knows how to fight through adversity like she does when on the softball mound. She was a four-year Varsity letterman of the softball team and gave her best, not because of her love of the game, but her sense of dedication to her coaches and teammates.
During the summers, she worked with young softball players, teaching them the fundamentals of pitching and hitting. She is the best big sister and role model for younger students. In addition, she volunteers as an umpire for the local Little League. These experiences have taught her the value of giving back and supporting others in the community.
In working with the Student Council, she helped put on school assemblies. As an office aide, she displayed excellent customer service skills. She was an active member of the National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. Being involved in all these activities, she feels it has helped her to grow as a caring leader and team player. To Cameryn, good citizenship means leading with integrity, serving others with compassion, and being reliable when it matters the most.
Cameryn is the daughter of Cheryl and Casey Woodall of Clifton.
Camille Miller, from Duncan High School, was chosen as a Good Citizen because she is a leader among her peers and very helpful in any situation. Many times, she has been seen helping her dad move cows and sprinklers after school and on the weekends. She is a pleasant ray of sunshine.
In FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), she competed in Computer Applications, placing second at the state level and advancing to Nationals. She excels in Microsoft PowerPoint and Word and enjoys competing with her friends and performing well in competitions, which fuels her desire to pursue a career in business.
In FFA (Future Farmers of America), she competed with the Range and Agronomy teams, enjoying the opportunity to learn about grasses and their properties. She placed at state and competed with the team at Nationals.
As a member of 4-H for nine years, she enjoyed showing chickens, but her primary interests were in indoor exhibits, which included baking, sewing, and quilting. As president of her 4-H club, she had fun encouraging and teaching kids in her club to learn new skills and enjoyed watching them grow.
At her church, she has served as president of her class for several years, helping with planning activities, addressing the needs of her class, and supporting their growth as individuals. Every summer, she helps plan a week-long camp where participants enjoy fun activities, build relationships, and learn about the Lord.
Camille is the daughter of Colleen and Matt Miller of Lordsburg, New Mexico.
Jacob Ochoa, from Mount Graham High School, is one of those students who was always willing to help when needed. As a student, he was always respectful and attentive, as well as being nice to his peers. He greets others with a smile and exudes sincerity.
He cares about his community, as well as causes that help make his immediate environment a better place to be. Around the school, he helped in whatever way possible to keep the school looking neat and tidy. In the area where students take breaks and eat their lunches, he helped put together new tables and chairs. With school events, he could be relied upon always to lend a hand where needed.
As a member of the school’s FCCLA (Future Career Community Leaders of America), he helped in the snack bar to raise funds for the club. As a student in the Culinary Arts program, he helped provide plates of chocolate-covered strawberries for the DAR student scholarship fundraiser during Valentine’s Week for two years.
At the end of this school year, he was chosen by the school principal as one of the three most helpful students at school. When asked what his plans were for the future, he said, “To live my life the best I can and to be the best mechanic I can be.”
Jacob is the son of Christina Serna of Safford.
Elyssa Marin, from Safford High School, who goes by “Ely,” is a kind, polite, friendly, considerate, determined, and hardworking student who teachers enjoy having in class. In her four years of high school, she has grown into a fantastic young lady! Her teachers believe that she is very deserving of this Good Citizen Award.
Early in her high school years, she was involved in the Student Council, played on the Varsity soccer team, was a member of FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), and volunteered for a short time at the Bulldog Food Pantry.
Outside of school, she volunteers at the First United Methodist Church, assisting with the Food Bank and the church’s live-streaming technology. She also works with Mr. EJ Romero, the Safford High School soccer coach, for the American Youth Soccer Organization summer camps. She is considered very dependable, with an upbeat and caring nature.
She currently works at Walmart part-time, which fills most of her free time. Despite the time she spends between school and her part-time jobs, she maintains good grades and thoroughly enjoys providing kindness and mindfulness to those around her, no matter where she is.
Ely is the daughter of Britany and James Marin of Safford.
Richard Ortiz, from Thatcher High School, has been the type of person who, since his freshman year, has held the door open for everyone and given them a high five when they walk through. He’s kind to every single person and genuinely cares for people. He never says a bad thing about anyone and always wears a smile on his face. He has a good heart and has been the ultimate example of a good citizen at THS for the past four years! He often asked teachers and other students about their day and truly listened and cared about their answers.
Richard is involved in a variety of activities at school. There are the National Honor Society, Student Council, Show Choir and Quintets, Track and Field, and a scorekeeper for the basketball and volleyball games. In addition, he finds time to volunteer with the Feed My Starving Children program, where he packs bulk food for worldwide distribution.
Outside of school, he serves as a volunteer with the BLM restoration work at the Sanchez Civilian Conservation Corps Camp and also works as an usher, youth speaker, and media assistant at The River Community Church.
Richard was raised in a Christian home and only knows how to serve and love others with the love of Jesus. His inspiration truly comes from his Lord, his family and church, and the most caring faculty at Thatcher Schools, which he has been a part of since 2nd grade. He loves seeing people smile and knowing they are needed and loved. As one teacher said, “We need so many more people like him!”
Richard is the son of Angelina Hinojos Ortiz of Thatcher.
Hunter Gardner, from Pima High School, his band teacher, Mrs. Bennett, has watched him grow into a leader who is compassionate, courteous, and always willing to put in the work it takes to become successful. Hunter has been reliable, punctual, and always willing to help out those around him.
He takes the time to get to know his fellow classmates and has shown patience and compassion toward those classmates. He gets along with everyone and consistently maintains a positive attitude throughout those interactions. With his participation in the band, he has performed at local parades and events that support our community.
Through the GIFT program, Hunter took Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Technologies classes at EAC because his goal, as a State Trooper, is primarily to remove drugs from the streets and, overall, to be a good role model. He was encouraged to go into law enforcement when he saw people he knew struggle with drug abuse and what it did to them.
He currently has an offer to join the Arizona Department of Public Safety Task Force at the beginning of 2026, which will give him a head start in the state trooper academy when he turns 21. As his band teacher expressed, “He will continue to keep our community safe and secure.”
Hunter is the son of Jarid and Charise Gardner of Pima.
Allen Gilbert, from Fort Thomas High School, has participated in football, basketball, and baseball and has learned a lot about teamwork and realizes the importance of being there for practice, showing good sportsmanship, having a good attitude, and being respectful.
Outside of school, he has worked for 3 years at a tea shop in Bylas called “Nutrition with a Native Twist”. He helps the tribe with walking and running events. He also helps distribute cases of water and food in his community during times of hardship.
Already, Allen has begun working on his plans for after high school to become a wildland firefighter. He is physically fit because he has passed the pack test. This test required him to walk a 3-mile distance (not running or jogging but keeping his feet flat on the ground) over level terrain while carrying a 45-pound pack. Here’s the catch: not only is he amazing, but he also has to do this in 45 minutes or less. Maintaining good physical shape will enable him to move with a 45-pound pack over uneven terrain when fighting fires. In addition to passing the pack test, he has already completed and passed the necessary training courses; therefore, Allen is certified as a wildland firefighter. He will be fighting fires this summer and, knowing the risks involved, he hopes to be fighting fires until he is ancient.
Allen is the son of Dorlisa and Gabriel Moses of Bylas.
The Gila Valley Chapter members presenting the DAR Good Citizen Awards at the high school honor assemblies were Sue Ellen Angle, Bonnie Briscoe, Louise Edwards, Sheila Hartner, Talana Hooper, Kerry Kelley, Helen Masten, Deanna Moeller, Peggy Moon, and Amie Savage.
