Established in 2019, the Carrie Chapman Catt Award was created by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate to encourage voter registration in Iowa high schools. Lone Tree High School is among only four schools to have qualified for the award trophy, given to those who register at least 90% of eligible students to vote, for all six years.

Qualifying for the prestigious award and trophy for first time is Hillcrest Academy High School. Sixteen schools share this distinction for the 2024-2025 school year.

Highland High School is among nine schools that registered at least 50% of eligible students; it will receive a personalized certificate from the Iowa Secretary of State.

Secretary Pate recently announced that as part of the initiative, 4,737 high school students registered to vote across 60 counties during the 2024-2025 school year. Studies show that students who report being encouraged to vote or taught how to register to vote in high school are more likely to vote and be more invested in elections throughout their lifetimes.

To wrap up the 2024-2025 school year, Secretary Pate is celebrating the 120 schools that signed up to host voter registration drives and the 62 schools that received recognition as part of the award program.

“It is a privilege to have a small part in instilling a sense of civic duty among Iowa’s high school students,” said Secretary Pate. “Registering to vote is the first step in ensuring you have the opportunity to exercise your fundamental right to vote, and I am thrilled to congratulate the almost 5,000 new registered voters who are establishing that they are not just leaders of tomorrow, but leaders already today.”