Nashville, Tenn. – Clinch School, for the second year, received the Secretary of State’s Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award by registering 100% of the eligible students who are 18 or older to vote.

“Congratulations Clinch School for earning our Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award for a second year,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “Our office created the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program to encourage all eligible Tennessee high school students to get registered and participate in our electoral process. The continued commitment of Clinch School’s students and staff and the Hawkins County Election Commission to increase civic engagement in the county is commendable.”

High schools that register 100% of the eligible students earn the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award and those that register at least 85% of the eligible students earn the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award.

“I am so proud of Clinch School for earning the Secretary of State’s Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award for the second year in a row,” said Hawkins County Administrator of Elections Crystal Rogers. “It is so important to educate our young adults on the importance of voting and I am proud that Clinch High School is a stepping stone for our Hawkins County young adults education.”
 
Clinch School and 12 other Tennessee high schools in 13 counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award.  Nine Tennessee high schools in eight counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award. All Tennessee public, charter, and private schools and home school associations could participate in the second annual Anne Dallas Dudley Award program.

“Clinch School is honored to receive the Anne Dallas Dudley Award for the second year for registering every senior to vote,” said Clinch School Counselor Dianna O’Neal. “This award speaks to the sort of civic-minded students we are blessed to teach here at Clinch. We wish for their continued involvement, care for their community, and assume roles as active and participatory citizens.”

The Secretary of State’s Anne Dallas Dudley Award, launched in 2021, is named after renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley. She helped lead the successful effort to get the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified nationwide and in her home state. On Aug. 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state needed to pass the Amendment giving women the right to vote.

The award is part of the Secretary of State’s civics engagement initiative to increase voter registration in Tennessee and prepare students to be actively engaged citizens. For more information about the Anne Dallas Dudley Award and other Department of State civic engagement efforts, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.