Maryland Society,
Sons of the American Revolution
2021 Chapter Awards
John Paul Jones Chapter actively engages with and recognizes excellence from our youth. On this page we will highlight that excellence with our Chapter’s Recognitions
1st is our Chapter’s award the ‘Horace Porter Award” (Click to know more about Horace Porter) We proudly honored Midshipmen Kelly Alksinnis with this award for 2021. Her accomplishments include:
1. Kelly continues to serve as a Museum Ambassador during Plebe Parents weekend. Kelly quickly learned to present the second deck gallery and has been most useful during Plebe Parents Weekends. She even impressed some of the history professors with her vast knowledge of not only the collection but naval history. Dr. Dzinnick commented on how impressed he was by her narration. I can't remember who the other professor (I actually think it was CPT Freyman) was but they both commented on the quality of her narration.
2. Kelly has learned the basics of document repair and has done an amazing job repairing old newspapers so that they could continue to be utilized by researchers. Kelly has also repaired several maps. One was the map of the USS Panay wreck site others she has repaired have or will be part of active museum exhibits.
3. Kelly has assisted both the Curatorial Staff and the Exhibit Specialist in the building and removal of at least three museum exhibits during her time at USNA
4. Kelly has assisted with several class presentations, always welcoming the challenge of discussing events and artifacts to fellow midshipmen. If she is available for class, she researches each artifact in preparation for speaking to the classes.
5. Kelly has become a peer leader among the Monuments Mids organizing Google Meets events in order for the other Monuments Mids to connect and have group discussions among the Monuments Mids.
6. Kelly took on the challenge of the USNA Superintendent's Annual Leadership and Vision Award Essay Competition, winning 3rd place in last year's competition.
7. Kelly has recruited other midshipmen for the Monuments Mids and serves as a mentor for the younger midshipmen who are part of the program.
8. Kelly worked with Grant and Bill (along with Lucas and Jacob) on the map project for the USNA Museum's 175th Anniversary Exhibit. This included conducting research, writing and narrating audio and videos.
9. Kelly sacrificed a few Saturdays to come to the USNA Museum in order to ensure that Plebes were able to visit the USNA Museum and receive their "plebe summer briefing" that they missed due to COVID restrictions.
10. Kelly has been instrumental in organizing the research collection. It has been through her diligence that we have been able to ensure that accessioned artifacts were removed from the research collection and given to the Collections Management Staff.
11. Kelly, through her hard work and dedication was able to rehouse and organize some of the historic garments from around the world to include our Japanese Kimono and Chinese robes. Because of her hard work and dedication, we no longer have to worry about further degradation to those artifacts and ensure that they will be available to researchers and visitors for many years to come.
12. Kelly is one of the BEST Midshipmen Ambassadors that we have. She has helped me guide several VIPS during their visits to the museum. The most recent being the Senior Sailor of the Year from the White House Communications Office. Honestly, with this visit Kelly did most of the work, discussing some of our WW II artifacts with our guests. Kelly also guided them through the second deck and was able to answer any and all questions presented by the guest. Kelly has done this for us many times and always leaves the visitors feeling motivated and excited about their naval history and heritage.
13. Kelly has always made herself available to younger Monuments Mids and midshipmen from the brigade. She openly shares her knowledge with anyone who needs help or asks her. She has offered to help those who are having trouble with classes. Mostly history but I have witnessed her helping with other topics as well.