The Legion of Valor Bronze Cross was awarded to GHS senior Amy Geraghty on Thursday.  Only five students win this award each year in the region, which reaches from the coast of Maine to North Carolina. Four other regions are also eligible for the award in the country.

“Amy’s done hundreds of hours of community service, she’s played sports, she’s with drama club, she’s with NHS, she’s in the top ten of her class, she’s in the top one or two in the ROTC class, so she’s a big time candidate,” said GHS ROTC program leader Gunner Muth. “I was very happy because I’ve had two. In my twenty years here I’ve had two. I’ve counted up almost 3,000 cadets since I’ve been here, total. And only two have received it.”

To apply for the award, and win, a student must have high grades, be a part of the ROTC program, have community service hours, and participate in a minimum of two extracurricular activities. The student must also be in the top five percent of the graduating class, and in the top one percent in the ROTC program to be eligible.

“Not everyone gets it, it puts me a little bit above everyone else,” said Geraghty. “I was being interviewed by someone for a scholarship and they were rifling through papers, not really paying much attention. And then they saw the Legion of Valor and they were like ‘Oh!’ and they actually started talking to me. I think it’s because it’s an elective award.