Good Citizen Challenge Hall of Fame 2025

Merritt Dowds, 6, of Burlington completed activity No. 10, “Attend a Community Event,” by going to a Vermont Green FC game. She got her shirt signed by a player after the game.

Frankie Houghton, 8, of Middlebury completed activity No. 5 when she jumped into the Middlebury Municipal Pool. This incredible action-shot of Frankie made it in the Addison Independent’s “photos of the week” section!

Zeke, 9, and Gabe, 6, of Hinesburg completed activity No. 10 by attending the Not Quite Independence Day Parade in Waterbury. They stopped by the Good Citizen Booth where they learned about the challenge and completed their very first activity.

Russell Locke, 7, of Johnson went above and beyond in completing activity No. 21, “Watch or Listen to the Local News,” by watching WCAX’s noon newscast from the studio. Russell got a tour behind the scenes from Vice President Jay Barton, got a picture with Reporter Ike Bendavid, and even got to participate in a weather forecast. “I learned that it takes a lot of time to actually make the news,” Russell said. “It’s also very complex!”

Ms. Malik’s class at Champlain Elementary School completed activity No. 10, “Attend a Community Event.” The Malikians not only attended but also were part of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival. “We sang on Church Street for Jazz Fest!” Ms. Malik said. “We had a HUGE crowd and students were very proud. We did one song specifically to honor Big Joe. It was awesome!”

Ivy Scull of Putney and Ella Brown of Newfane both completed activity No. 13, “Organize Support for a Cause,” after they raised money for the Windham County Humane Society and the Monadnock Humane Society. “I did a fundraiser for the Monadnock Humane Society (where I got my rabbit from),” Ella writes. “We asked family to sponsor us if we rode our bikes down the West River Trail. Me and my friends raised $125!” Pictured is Ivy with her part of the donation money.

Anthony, 8, and Russel, 10, of Montpelier completed activity No. 10, “Attend a Community Event,” by attending the Montpelier Pride Festival. “I danced like crazy,” Anthony said. Pictured is Anthony hula hooping with friends.

Mila, Davíd, Karolina, James, Elijah, and Mason all visited the Egypt Cemetery in Fairfield and completed activity No. 4, suggesting that someone
create a new memorial to honor Nathaniel Foster, a veteran of the War of 1812. “[We] talked about the story of Nathaniel Foster and how he saved people from starvation after the year without a summer,” Mila writes. “We suggest a plaque of some sort to help people know why this road and cemetery are named Egypt, all in connection to Nathaniel Foster.”

Vivi, 7, and Heikki, 9, of Richmond completed activity No. 16, “Visit a Historical Site or Museum” when they went to the USS Slater in Albany. “Our Scout Troop slept on USS Slater,” Vivi said. “Patrick was our tour guide, and he taught us a lot about WWII. It isn’t easy to be in the Navy.”

Ella Brown, 9, of Newfane completed activity No. 1 after she created her very own new “Future Voter” sticker. “I drew the shape of Vermont with a red clover inside (state flower) and blue ‘future voter’ on the sides,” she said. Ella has also completed a number of other challenges, including borrowing a book from her local library and supporting a local business!

Ollie Grant, 7, of Burlington completed activity No. 13, “Organize Support for a Cause,” when he raised $25 for the humane society by running his very own lemonade stand. Ollie even delivered the money himself!

Ms. Lake’s third grade class at Robinson Elementary School in Starksboro completed activity No. 11 by writing thank-you notes to members of their community. “We wrote thank-you notes to people that we recognize as “good citizens” in our lives,” Ms. Lake said. “Some students wrote about their parents, others chose to write to their neighbors, while some wrote to me!” 

Meela Kay Hill, 10, of North Ferrisburgh completed two challenges at once when she visited the Sam Fishman Memorial Pool in Vergennes: activity No. 5, “Go Jump in a Lake — or a Public Pool,” and activity No. 3, “Visit a Memorial.” “I went and jumped in the Sam Fishman memorial pool in Vergennes,” Meela said. “Fun fact: I’m on the Vergennes swim team.”

Aaliyah Grace Brown, 9, of Ferrisburgh completed activity No. 9 by visiting Pam, her town’s clerk. She found her parents’ marriage certificate and her house on the town map. “I asked for those records because they are special to me,” Aaliyah said.

Mila Chenette, 6, of Fairfax completed activity No. 7 when she visited the St. Albans Fire Department with her homeschool group. “I learned all about the truck and everything that the firefighters had on it,” Mila said. “One truck can also hold 21 bathtubs’ worth of water!”

Marion LaPorte, 12, of Brandon completed activity No. 2 by borrowing a book from her local library. “I borrowed the book, ‘The Ballad of Songbird and Snakes,'” Marion said. “I wanted to learn about the character President Snow and his backstory.”

Charlie Suter, 6, of Fairfax completed activity No. 3, “Visit a Memorial,” when he saw the Lake Champlain Navy Memorial and the Lone Sailor statue in Burlington. “The Lake Champlain Navy Memorial was placed there to remember sailors in the Navy who protect our country,” Charlie said. “I liked that I could touch and climb the statue of the Lone Sailor and bag and that he is there to protect us.”

Amelia Dabritz, 11, of Burlington completed activity No. 16 by visiting Stowe’s Bloody Brook Schoolhouse and learning about its history. “It was fun to see how people in the olden days used to go to school,” Amelia said. “I liked learning that they voted on how long the school year is. One year it was three months of school in the fall and three months in the spring.”

Wilson, Margo, and Sullivan of Fair Haven completed activity No. 10 by attending a Vermont Lake Monsters game. They ate ice cream and met Champ, the team mascot.

Piper Blanchard, 9, of Randolph completed activity No. 7 by visiting her local fire department. Piper got to sit in a fire truck and learned all about how the department works. “[It’s] a volunteer fire department,” Piper said. “The firefighters don’t sleep there. They have to drive to the station when a call comes in.”

Brennan and John Paul Brouchard of Sheldon completed activity No. 16 by visiting Wolf Monument at the top of Aldis Hill in St. Albans. The monument commemorates local politician Lawrence Brainerd’s successful hunt of a large grey wolf which had been ravaging Franklin County.

Cate and Mae of Waterford completed activity No. 1 by designing their own “Future Voter” stickers. They both drew pictures featuring Vermont’s beautiful mountains and trees.

Julia Nunnelley, 11, of Montpelier completed activity No. 25, “Take Control of Your Tech Use,” by changing her iPad screen to gray scale. “[It] makes the screen look very sad and weird,” Julia said. “It will be hard to play my games.”