NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently presented Greenback Public School with the prestigious Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award for the third consecutive year. This award recognizes Greenback for registering 100 percent of its eligible students to vote.

“Achieving 100 percent voter registration is a testament to the dedication to civic engagement by this senior class at Greenback Public School and those before them,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “Earning an Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award for three consecutive years speaks volumes to the commitment of the faculty, staff, and the Loudon County Election Commission to stressing the importance of civic engagement and an unwavering commitment to increasing voter registration within this school community.”   

The Secretary of State’s office launched the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program for the 2023-2024 school year to promote voter registration among Tennessee high school students. High schools that registered 100 percent of eligible students earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award. High schools that registered at least 85 percent of eligible students earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award.

"We are incredibly proud of Greenback Public School for earning this remarkable civic distinction that only two Tennessee schools have achieved each of the last three years," said Loudon County Administrator of Elections Susan Harrison. "This group of seniors has demonstrated an incredible desire to become engaged, life-long voters through the Anne Dallas Dudley Awards program, and we know this experience will serve them and our community well in the future." 

All Tennessee public, charter/private school, and home school associations can participate in the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program. This year, 32 Tennessee high schools in 24 counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award, and 19 high schools representing 16 counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award.

The award is named in honor of renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley, who helped lead the successful effort to ratify the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. On Aug. 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and final state needed to give women the right to vote.

The Anne Dallas Dudley 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 Tennessee Department of State civic engagement efforts, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.