Nashville, Tenn. – Middleton High School 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.

“I commend Middleton High School for earning the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level award for a second straight 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 register to vote and participate in our electoral process. I applaud Middleton High School's students, staff and faculty, and the Hardeman County Election Commission for their continued commitment to increasing voter registration in Hardeman County.”

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.

“Congratulations to Middleton High School for again earning the Secretary of State’s Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award,” said Hardeman County Administrator of Elections Amber Moore. “I am very thankful to the Middleton High School staff for encouraging all eligible students to get registered to vote. The Hardeman County Election Commission is very blessed with outstanding students who have been helping with elections for the past seventeen years.”

Middleton High 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.

“Middleton High School proudly congratulates the graduating class of 2023 for their incredible accomplishment of achieving 100% voter registration,” Middleton High School senior sponsor Karen Lanier. “This unprecedented milestone reflects the determination and civic-mindedness of these young individuals who are committed to making their voices heard in local, state, and national elections.  We are very proud of our students at Middleton High School.”

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.