Good Citizen Challenge Hall of Fame 2024

Looking for inspiration? Meet these Good Citizens!

Check out these outstanding entries we received in the summer of 2024. Some of these kids went above and beyond, while others perfectly captured the Good Citizen spirit.

Matthew Burns, 9, of Wells River did Activity 9. Attend a Community Event. He helped out at Wells River’s Labor Day event and wrote down the names of people who submitted an entry to the zucchini contest. “The zucchini that won weighed 10 pounds!” he said.

The Morristown Centennial Library Team did Activity #12. Organize Support for a Cause. They hosted a bake sale by making baked goods, staffing the table, and holding signs up out on the main street. They raised $105 for Breakfast on Us, a program that provides free breakfast to anyone at the United Community Church on weekdays.

Georgia LaPorte, 13, of Brandon did Activity #8. Search for a Deed. She found out the deed was confirmed in 2007 and her friend’s grandfather had signed the papers. “I thought it was funny that in the deed it says we cannot put a single wide mobile home on the property,” she said. The town clerk also showed her the charter for the town of Brandon while she was there!

Finn Bender, 11, of Richmond did Activity #9. Attend a Community Event. Though Finn did more than attend the COTS Back to School Festival – he helped out! As part of the festival, Finn assisted the Children’s Literacy Foundation in giving away hundreds of free books to kids in attendance.

Grace Gillman, 8, of Burlington did Activity #12: Organize Support for a Cause. She raised more than $100 for the Boys and Girls Club. “I baked two types of cookies with my grandma and sold them at our community garage sale.”

Lyle Johnson of Burlington, age 10, sent in this design for a new “I Voted” sticker. “It was harder than I expected, but I feel proud of it,” he said.

Siena Keffer, 9, of East Montpelier visits the fire department. She learned that they receive up to 300 calls per year!

Briella DuBois, 7, of Proctor goes swimming at Bomoseen state park.

Elijah Maynard, 7, of East Thetford did Activity #5: Go Jump in a Lake or Public Pool. “I went swimming at Treasure Island (Lake Fairlee). I learned that Treasure Island is cared for in our town by a committee of volunteers.”

Susannah Rye, 10, of Waterbury donates food to a food pantry. She emailed her neighbors to ask them for donations, and she was able to get 33 items to drop off!

Heikki Milles, 8, of Richmond did Activity #9: Attend a Community Event. He went to see the Vermont Lake Monsters play at Centennial Field in Burlington. “You can usually find some friends at a Lake Monsters game. And, there’s a bunch of snacks.”

Lilah Foerster, 6, of North Ferrisburgh did Activity #20: Read the Local News. Lilah’s mom read her five articles in the Addison Independent. “I learned there will be a place for kids to get food in Ferrisburgh. I learned that people were putting chemicals out that were making bees and butterflies die, and now people will stop doing that.”

Students from Champlain Elementary School in Burlington did Activity #13: Pick Up Trash.

Hazel Saunders, 9, of Burlington did Activity #9: Attend a Community Event. “I attended the Vermont Green Women’s Exhibition game. It was really special to see my soccer coach Laney Ross play in the game and go on the field to see her afterwards.”

Vivi Milles, 6, of Richmond did Activity #7: Visit the Fire Department. “I learned that firefighters don’t only do fires. They also help people who are sick.”

Alaina Willette, 11, of Ferrisburgh did Activity #19: Show What Vermont’s Motto Means to You. “I drew a picture of people in front of the green mountains holding hands representing unity. I also put a lock that was unlocked to represent freedom.”

Susannah Rye, 10, of Waterbury, did Activity #23: Talk to a Journalist. “I talked to Gordon Miller who is a photojournalist for the Waterbury Roundabout. He told me he liked taking pictures of people having fun.”

Siena Keffer, 9, of East Montpelier visits a Veterans Memorial in Montpelier. In addition to visiting the memorial, Siena has checked something out from the library, written a thank-you note to her neighbor, and cleared a local trail of invasive species!

Students from the Centennial Library in Morristown have been doing the Challenge together. Pictured here is Oliver Wetherbee during the team’s visit to a local fire station.

Jacob Rye, 12, of Waterbury attends a mental health awareness event at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes. The event culminated in rowing across Lake Champlain. “It was cool to learn how to row because I had never been rowing before,” he said.

Alaina Willette, 11, of Ferrisburgh hand-delivered a thank-you note to the Friends of the Union Meeting Hall. “Thanks for planning and hosting fun events for our community,” she wrote. Lindsey Brown, the Treasurer of Friends of the Union Meeting Hall, said that receiving Alaina’s note, “just gave me such a big feeling of joy” by letting her know that her hard work has been worth it.

Truman Talbot, 7, attends Waterbury’s Not Quite Independence Day Celebration.

Hava Bensimhon, 8, of Burlington poses with Champ at a Vermont Lake Monsters Game. She wrote that, “part of being a Good Citizen is being a good fan to my sports team. And also Champ is really fun!”

Lilah Foerester, 6, and Liza Tirrell, 6, are doing the challenge together as a team! Here they are visiting a memorial in Vergennes honoring Stephen Bates, Vermont’s first known Black sherriff and chief of police.

The Summer 2024 Good Citizen Challenge is organized by Burlington-based Seven Days, — Vermont’s locally owned, independent weekly — and its free quarterly parenting magazine Kids VT with underwriting support from the Evslin Family Foundation and Vermont Community Foundation.