ONLINE ENTRY   |    RULES   |    FINALISTS   |    VOTE   |    CONTACT US   |    SPONSORS   |    HOME   Finalists Nicholas B Albright     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hi! My name is Nick Albright, and I live in Hedgesville, located in Berkeley County. To keep it short and sweet, I love West Virginia. West Virginia is our home, and I want nothing more than to make our home the best it can be. I believe by continuing my education at West Virginia Wesleyan College, I can create change and truly make an impact on our great state. Currently, I have a cumulative 4.1 GPA, and take all honors classes as well as AP courses. As I enter my senior year, I also am in Dual-Enrollment courses with Blue Ridge Community College to help further my education before graduation. I consider myself lucky to be so involved in both my school and my community as a whole. As a member of our Pep Club, Student-Government, Rotary-Interact Club, and Youth Leadership Association (YLA), I’ve accumulated over 150 community service hours. Furthermore, I’m very proud to say I’m an employee at Chick-Fil-A, which has taught me an extraordinary amount about service above self. I plan on majoring in Criminal Justice, in the hopes of one day being part of our legal system. As the late Truett Cathy once said, “Why not your best?”. If given the opportunity, I could help instill this same philosophy into my fellow West Virginians and do what I strive to do every day: make a difference. Abigail R Auld     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Abigail is currently a junior at Musselman High School in Berkeley County. In addition to AP and WVU courses, Abigail is dual enrolled at Rumsey Technical Institute studying graphic design. Abigail won gold at the State SkillsUSA competition for WV State pin design and will be attending National competition in Georgia in June. In addition to being an active member of both National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society, Abigail is an avid cello player who participates in both the all-county strings program and the Shepherd community orchestra in Shepherdstown. Abigail has participated in WV All State strings orchestra since 6th grade, recently earning 3rd chair in the 2022-23 school year. In their downtime, Abigail enjoys drawing, playing games, reading, and hanging out with friends. Lauren Madison Cline     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> My name is Lauren Cline and I am an upcoming senior at Wirt County High School. I plan to pursue a career in nursing at WVWC. I am very passionate about working with children and I would like to work in a NICU or PICU at a West Virginia hospital after college. I am currently a member of the golf team, student council, National Honor Society, and Bible club at my school and I frequently volunteer with different organizations throughout my community such as the Humane Society, local food pantries, and the Red Cross. Sydney R Deaton     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hello! My name is Sydney Deaton, and I currently attend Tyler Consolidated High School. I am student body president, a 5 year member of the marching band and jazz band, a 6 year thrower in track, a 4 year theatre student, as well as a member of other organizations in my school like NHS and speech and debate. Outside of school I attend summer camps such as Girl's State and Governor's Honor Academy, and I spend most of my time with my friends and family. In college, I plan to major in pre-law or political science, and I want to pursue a career in law or government after college. One issue I am particularly invested in is expanding health services and rehabilitation centers throughout West Virginia. I want to help this state prosper in any way I can, and my education is a major step in making that hope into a reality. Alayna Hope Garst     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hello, my name is Alayna Garst. I am a junior at Williamstown High School. I am the president of Key Club, president and founder of Environmental Club, a Climate Ambassador for the MOVCA (Mid Ohio Valley Climate Action), treasurer of the National Honor Society, and events coordinator of the Art Club. I am also the Feature Twirler of the marching band. In my free time, I like to draw, volunteer at the local Humane Society, read comic books, bake, go camping with my family, and roller skate. I am most passionate about art and improving art education in the state of West Virginia. My goal is to become an elementary school art teacher. I want to inspire children to be creative and be a powerful voice advocating for art in schools. I believe that art can not only make school more enjoyable, but it is also a great way for students to express themselves, be involved in their community, and feel that their talents are valued. This scholarship would put me one step closer to using my talents and determination to improve education for the children of West Virginia. Ronald Edward Greer III (Trey)     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hi, my name is Ronald Edward Greer III, named after my grandfather, however I’ve gone by “Trey” my whole life. I’m a proud West Virginian born in Huntington and raised in Ripley. My entire life my parents have given me 2 rules: work hard in school and be a good person. As a student at Ripley High School (RHS), I strive to expand my learning by taking the most challenging Advanced Placement courses available, while maintaining a 4.216 GPA, and being currently ranked #1 in my class. I have been inducted into National Honor Society and elected Student Body President. I represent RHS as the school mascot (“The Viking”) and run Cross Country and Track and Field. I am president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) at RHS, a two time FBLA State Winner, and will be competing in Nationals for the second straight year. Outside of the school, I have been a member of West Virginia Coding Club since 6th Grade and earned a nationally accredited tech degree in Web Design in 2022. It is through all of these activities and achievements however, that I’ve also found the thing I enjoy most in life is helping others and making their lives better. I volunteer for the Down Syndrome Network of West Virginia at their annual Buddy Walk and for the Wood County Society, an organization that helps provide resources and programs for those with disabilities. I was voted as a West Virginia Incredible Kid by West Virginia Living Magazine in the summer of 2022. This summer, I’ll be honored by the Ripley City Council with the John and Amy McGinley Leadership Award. Constantly throughout my life I am reminded of how blessed I am to have the opportunities and abilities that I have, and it would be wrong of me not to use them to make this state better and improve the lives of those in it. Through West Virginia Wesleyan’s education, I hope to move closer to achieving these goals. Jordan Elisabeth Groves     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> My name is Jordan Groves and I was born in Bridgeport, Harrison County. I attend Bridgeport High School and have grown up attending Bridgeport United Methodist Church (BUMC). I enjoy helping with various community projects including volunteering time with the Bridgeport Lions Club, Harrison County Humane Society, Stonerise Nursing Home, and many youth projects held through the youth group at BUMC. As for my career at Wesleyan, I plan to focus on my love for educating young minds in their elementary education program. I have spent countless hours throughout middle school and high school volunteering hours at the Jofyul Noise After School Program held at Bridgeport United Methodist Church. I am currently employed at The Bridge Sports Complex as a concessions lead and I babysit for a couple of families. Lastly, my job as a pianist at Johnstown United Methodist Church pushes me to continue my education in music as well as my career as a pianist. Emerson Grace Haddix     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hello, my name is Emerson Haddix and I’d like to thank you for considering me for the West Virginia Scholars Program. Before I tell you more about myself and how I arrived here, I’d like to tell you who I’d like to become. Simply put, I’d like to become a Registered Nurse. My goal is to help my community and the people in it by attaining my Bachelor’s degree and then a Master’s degree in nursing. There is a critical need in our state for qualified nurses, and I want to be part of the solution to this problem. Working toward that goal, I was pleased to be a participant in the 2023 Davis Academy Program. This allowed me to get real experience with patients at Davis Medical Center. In the next school year, I will bae a senior at Elkins High School. During my years at EHS, I have been elected Vice-President of my class in my Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years. I have made the Honor Roll every semester, and I am a member of the National Honor Society. I am active in Varsity Basketball, Volleyball, and Softball. I received all-conference honors for softball in 2022. In addition to school activities, I am also active my community. I am a member of the Mountain Eagles 4-H club, and I am a participant in the Randolph County Youth Livestock Association. I have raised and shown hogs and goats at our county fair for the past 10 years. I attended county 4-H camp where I was the Chief of my tribe and selected Spirit of Camp. In 2020, I was a page to the WV House of Delegates. I was recently baptized and became a member of the Valley Bend Presbyterian Church. Payton K Hill     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hello, my name is Payton Hill and I am seventeen years old. I am currently an AP and Honors Student at Hedgesville High School. As a top ten ranked student in my class, I try to involve myself in everything available that my school has to offer by volunteering as much as possible, whether it be in leadership, student government, or community service, all while playing lead roles in theatre at the High School and local town theatre. It is a goal of mine to blend my extracurriculars and find some correlation between them, especially combining academics with performing arts. People tend to say that I do too much, in too many places, which is true and I take that as a large compliment, but I would still like to do more! Hannah E Hughes     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hannah Hughes is a junior at University High School. She is very active in her school and community by participating in student council, Fellowship of Christian Teens, Environmental Sustainability Club and travel volleyball. She has helped coached volleyball teams in Morgantown, hoping to inspire young girls to pursue their dreams, both athletically and academically. Hannah has always pushed herself in academics, earning her spots in the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Rho Kappa. She is also active in the church, serving in child care on Sunday mornings or enjoying a sermon and worship. Hannah has has always had big dreams and plans to major in the STEM field in hopes of pursuing a career in dentistry. Madolyn Hope Long     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Madolyn Long is a junior at Buckhannon-Upshur High School who loves mathematics, economics, music, writing, and making a difference. She is seeking higher education in hopes of becoming an accountant and financial advisor that can help bring wealth back to West Virginians. With the help of accounting courses, work experience, and her time as Buckhannon's Future Business Leaders of America president, Madolyn has grown as both an individual and community member. Madolyn’s dedication to giving back to her home state and passion for finance led her to assist over fifty West Virginian families in filing their income tax returns free of charge; she plans to use her education to expand her ability to help families get into the best available financial situation. Additionally, Madolyn’s love of music has spread through her viola performances with local and state symphonies alike. Through her hard work in each of her talents, Madolyn has proven her strive for success in all aspects of her life. Kaycee JoAnn McCoy     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> My name is Kaycee McCoy and I am a junior at George Washington High School. My parents are Todd and Cheryl McCoy and I have an older brother, Logan, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. I currently am looking to continue my education at West Virginia Wesleyan College with focusing on obtaining a bachelor degree in Exercise Science. After college, I plan to become a licensed physical therapist and eventually own my own practice. I have a 4.372 GPA and enjoy staying very involved in my school and community. I was recently elected as Vice President of the National Honor Society at my school. I was a class representative last year, so I look forward in this promotion to bringing great ideas and contributions to our chapter. Also, I am a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, YoungLife, Beta Club, Forensic’s Club, and co-founder/co-President of the Disc Golf club. I am a member of the George Washington High School volleyball team, along with Track and Field. I was a captain for my volleyball team this past season, and it gave me many leadership opportunities that eventually ended with our team making it to the state tournament. Apart from school, I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends, whether it being a fun activity or just sitting and talking. My family has always been my biggest supporters in everything that I do in life. I am excited to continue pursuing my goals and passions with their support. Kyndall Reese Perry     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Hi! I’m Kyndall Perry, I’m 17 and I’m a junior at Nitro High School. I’ve played just about every sport in the book, but swimming is what I’m most focused on! I’m in National Honors society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Student Council! I love going to football games, and all types of sporting events. I want to major in nursing and I will most likely pursue a career being a pediatric nurse anesthetist! I’m super excited for my next step and what I can bring to West Virginia! Olivia Jayne Raber     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> Olivia Raber attends Parkersburg South High School, where she has taken a multitude of AP and Dual Credit Classes while maintaining a 4.1 cumulative GPA and is placed in the top 1% of her class. Olivia is currently the Junior Class President, the National Honor Society Historian, and the WV Student Council President. She is a State Thespian Officer and serves on the International Thespian Student Leadership Council. She is an alumna of the Yale Young Global Scholars and the Governors STEM Institute. In her free time, Olivia volunteers at Wood County Society, the WVPRC Youth Advisory Board, and the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, where she received the Eli Clark Award for exemplary conduct. Olivia plans to major in Pre-Law or Political Science before pursuing a law degree. Kendall Addison Watcher     Parents' Interview >>     Video >> My name is Kendall Watcher, and I am a junior at Musselman High School in Inwood, West Virginia. I am part of many extracurricular activities at my school such as National Honor Society, the Musselman Volleyball Team, and National Art Honor Society while being an honor roll student in advanced classes. My plan to improve our state would involve veterinary care and opening multiple veterinary clinics around the state. This would lead to encouraging younger students to complete an education revolving around veterinary care and provide the availability to care for a diverse amount of animals. My overall goal would be to help improve the current infrastructure of the veterinary industry and allow for more students of the state to have an opportunity instead of moving away to do so. © WV Scholar - West Virginia Radio Corporation 2008-2023.      Site development and hosting by Citynet.