NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Northview Academy earned 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 and Pigeon Forge High School earned the Silver Level Award by registering 85% of the eligible students to vote.

"I commend Northview Academy for reaching 100% voter registration and Pigeon Forge High School for reaching 85% voter registration," said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. "Thank you to the Sevier County Election Commission and the students, faculty and staff of both of these schools for helping us increase voter registration in Sevier County."

The Secretary of State's office launched the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program for the 2021-2022 school year to promote voter registration among Tennessee high school students. High schools that register 100% of the eligible students earn the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award. High schools that register at least 85% of the eligible students earn the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award.

"I appreciate the time and effort all our school administrators put in to getting our students interested in democracy and eligible to vote in future elections,” said Sevier County Administrator of Elections Nathan Whaley. 

All Tennessee public, charter or private school or home school association can participate in the Anne Dallas Dudley Award program. This year 18 Tennessee high schools in 12 counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award. Eighteen high schools representing 13 counties earned the Anne Dallas Dudley Silver Level Award.

“I am appreciative of our senior class and the priority that they have placed on being active members of their community," said Northview Academy Principal Travis Franklin. “We are honored to receive this award and most of all congratulate our students for getting registered so they are ready to cast a ballot on Election Day.”

The award is named in honor of renowned Tennessee suffragist Anne Dallas Dudley who helped lead the successful effort to get the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified. 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 civic engagement efforts from the Tennessee Department of State, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.