MPISD – News

Taryn Thurman

Contact: 

Kelly Cowan

Thurman selected as Mount Pleasant High School DAR Good Citizen.

Mount Pleasant High School senior Taryn Thurman, daughter of Tris and Stephanie Thurman, was recently selected as the MPHS Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen. 

The Martha Laird Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsors the DAR Good Citizen program in our area. They designed this contest to honor an outstanding young person in a high school’s senior class who demonstrates the four qualities of a DAR Good Citizen: 

Dependability, Service, Leadership, and Patriotism.

Thurman has held numerous leadership roles in campus organizations. She is currently Co-Captain of the Debate team, Vice-President of the National Honor Society, President of the Interact Club, and Captain of the MPHS Colorguard. 

During her junior year, she was Vice-President of the Debate team and Interact-Club, and Lieutenant of Colorguard. As a sophomore, she was Debate Team Secretary, Interact Club Historian, and Colorguard Squad Leader.

In addition to leadership, service to the community is another important characteristic that good citizens possess. 

As a peer tutor, Thurman participated in Cosmo Scholars, promoted and assisted in a campus recycling program, and provided materials and helped build props for the Goin’ Gold Band shows. She has also spent time volunteering with Titus County Cares and Safe-T Women’s Shelter, raising money with her local church to donate wells to disadvantaged communities across the globe, and helping with the Adopt-a-Highway program.  

Thurman was a national qualifier for the FBLA competition, a two-year state qualifier in UIL Cross-Examination Debate, and selected as the State Top Speaker in 2019. She placed first with her team at the UIL Regional Spelling competition. She was also honored with acceptance into the Congressional Student Leadership Program and participated for two years. She received Academic Blanket Awards for AP English III and AP Music Theory.

Being the MPHS Good Citizen provides Thurman the opportunity to participate in the program’s scholarship portion at the local Chapter level. Independent, non-DAR judges will evaluate each contest entry, and the winning entry will advance through the state and national levels of judging.