May 17, 2026
Shaker High School is home to one of this year's Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen Award recipients! Senior Joelle Hannoush was honored at the Pruyn House on Tuesday, May 12, along with a recipient from Colonie High School. The DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest was created in 1934, to encourage and recognizes high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools and communities.
Joelle was chosen for this award by her teachers for her activism and involvement in the school community and beyond. The President of SOS (Students Organized for Service), Joelle helped grow club membership from 12 students to more than 120. She organized two Red Cross blood drives a year, and coordinated student volunteers for the Northeast Regional Food Bank and Bring on the Spectrum (BOTS). As class president the last two years, Joelle has worked hard to foster a sense of community among her fellow Class of 2026 graduates. In 2025, Joelle organized and led a team of 12 students in raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, personally raising $87,000 by soliciting donations from local businesses, holding a girls lacrosse clinic and collecting gift cards and items for raffles and auctions. Her teachers and club advisors call Joelle a natural leader and now she is also a Good Citizen Award recipient! Congratulations Joelle!