The DAR Good Citizens Award and Scholarship Contest is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The program is open to all high school seniors The award recognizes and rewards individuals who possess the qualities of dependability service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools and communities.
Jansma is the daughter of Sharon and Pete Jansma. She said she was honored to be selected as a local winner. Chapter winners are automatically entered into the state contest and state winners are entered into the national contest.
Jansma said she’s taken opportunities she’s been given at TKHS to be a good leader and feel good about herself. She’s been very busy during her high school years as a member of the golf team, the marching band, jazz band, has performed in the school musical, is a vice president in student council and also serves on the National Honor Society - to name a few.
She’s also been a team member in the three-time world finalist Odyssey of the Mind team and has served as the marching band drum major for two years.
“I’m not focused on doing things for myself,” said Jansma. “I’m focused on setting a good example for others.”
Jansma has done all of this while overcoming some pretty big obstacles. When she was born she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy that leaves the left side of her body significantly weaker than her right side. She’s had years of physical therapy, treatments and surgeries. It affected her ability to play golf since it was difficult to walk that far. Being in the marching band was also a challenge, but Clair said it was just something she had to overcome and deal with and continue doing the things she loved.
She wrote in her essay, “Some people, when life throws them a challenge, panic. They buckle under pressure and they give up a few things. I think that was one of the most important things that I did in my freshman and sophomore years - I didn’t give up.”
Jansma also wrote about being patriotic and how, to her, that means helping create great leaders and spread positivity to make a difference in the country.
As a leader, Jansma said she wants to set an example for others. She wrote, “I crave the feeling of making people enjoy the situation that they are in, and what’s a better place and time than to do it in high school? By the time I graduate, I want Thornapple Kellogg High School to be absolutely flooded with school spirit. I want to be able to leave a lasting impact for the feeling of greatness and happiness that I brought with me to TKHS