Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County High School National Honor Society hosted the annual Senior Awards Night June 9 in the school gymnasium. The event recognized members of the Class of 2026 for the awards and scholarships they received for their future endeavors.
Members of the NHS are seniors – Ramona Hardy, president; Joseph Van Meter, vice president; Berkley Buzzard, secretary; Allison Friel, treasurer; Whitney Robertson, public relations; Cammi Warner, service hour coordinator; Dylan Keller and Wade Garber.
Juniors – Caroline Bennett, Catherine Lucabaugh, Kaidence Cutlip, Griffin Taylor, Kaylee Hershman, Allyson Taylor, Nathanel Barkley, Baylee Nelson, Dixie Schoolcraft, Morgan Beverage and Clair Buzzard.
The PCHS Valedictorian Award was presented to Cammi Warner, who will attend West Virginia University in the fall.
Class Salutatorian Allison Friel received the W.E. “Tweard” Blackhurst Award, presented by Blackhurst’s nephew, Bob Sheets.
Honor graduates are Allison Friel, Ramona Hardy, Dylan Keller, Joseph Van Meter and Cammi Warner.
The Pocahontas County Arts Council award was presented to Ginda Tumblin for her exceptional growth in artistic skill, depth of creative and conceptual thinking, as well as her outstanding leadership within the arts program.
Receiving the Promise Scholarship were Cammi Warner, Allison Friel, Ramona Hardy, Wade Garber, Paul Jordan, Silas Beezley and Joseph Van Meter.
WVU Assistant Professor and Pocahontas County 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent Luci Mosesso presented the 4-H Leadership Scholarship to Ramona Hardy.
Mosesso also presented the WVU scholarships – Climb Higher Level 2 Scholarship to Allison Friel, Ramona Hardy, Joseph Van Meter and Cammi Warner; and the Climb Higher Level 1 Scholarship to Sabina Leyzorek.
The Fairmont State University Traditions Scholarship was earned by Berkley Buzzard and Dylan Keller.
Calli Propst received both the Highlands Scholarship and Legacy Scholarship from Davis & Elkins College.
Shayla Bennett received the Potomac State College Athletic Scholarship to play soccer on the Catamounts team.
Marshall University’s Merit Scholarship went to Wade Garber.
Warren Burns plans to attend Vernon College in Texas. He received four scholarships to further his education and participate on the rodeo team – the National High School Rodeo Association Merit Scholarship, NHSRA Provincial Top Hand Scholarship, Curtis A. Graf Rodeo Scholarship and Jack and Elizabeth Eure Scholarship.
Tristen O’Steen plans to attend Lees-McRae College in North Carolina, where he will be on the snowboarding team while he earns his degree. He received a Merit Scholarship and Athletic Snowboarding Scholarship.
West Virginia Wesleyan College presented scholarships to Callie Davis and Olivia Hamilton.
Tristen O’Steen received the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau scholarship from PCCVB board president Bob Sheets.
Snowshoe Foundation executive director Dave Black presented scholarships to Allison Friel, Ramona Hardy and Cammi Warner.
Ramona Hardy received the inaugural Dr. Sue Hollandsworth Memorial Scholarship, presented by Jenny Friel and Hollandsworth’s sister, Barb Siers. To honor Hollandsoworth’s memory and love of elephants, Siers also presented an elephant figurine to Hardy.
The Seneca Woodlands Women’s Club and Marlinton Woman’s Club – represented by Mali Minter and Dawn Baldwin – awarded their joint scholarship to Ramona Hardy. They also presented books to the other three finalists – Allison Friel, Whitney Robertson and Cammi Warner.
Cammi Warner received the Pendleton Community Bank Business Scholarship, which was presented by PCB employees Allie Sharp and Kerry Watkins.
On behalf of the Peteete family, Trenton Brock presented the Braelynn Peteete Scholarship to Calli Propst and Cammi Warner.
JRH Transport LLC Scholarship was presented to Shayla Bennett by Jacob Taylor and Linda Taylor.
David Cooper of the Tucker Community Foundation awarded the foundation’s scholarship to Ramona Hardy and Wade Garber.
The inaugural Walt Helmick Scholarship was presented to Gary Warner. The scholarship was founded in memory of Helmick, who was more than a county and state politician. He started his career in Pocahontas County as welding teacher at PCHS.
Shayla Bennett received the Ritton Family Foundation/Par Mar Scholarship.
Empower Appalachia co-founders Wesley Felton, Andrew Morrison and Jed Walther presented the organization’s STEM Scholarship to Ramona Hardy. Fellow co-founder Fredricah Gardner was unable to attend.
Thomas Fraker founded the Dorothy “Dotsy” Fraker Scholarship in memory of his wife and presented it to FFA students who are continuing their education in college or a trade school. Receiving the scholarship this year were Cammi Warner and Ayden Fedak.
The FFA Ham, Bacon and Egg Scholarship was presented to Ramona Hardy, Allison Friel, Cammi Warner and Whitney Robertson.
Ayden Fedak received the Lyndsee Gay Lambert Memorial Scholarship.
The Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation presented the follow scholarships:
• Beulah Moore Memorial Scholarship – Allison Friel.
• Candance J. Huffman Memorial Scholarship – Cammi Warner.
• Clark and Helen Brumagin Memorial Scholarship – Berkley Buzzard and Wade Garber.
• Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation Scholarship – Callie Davis, Shane Van Meter, Warren Burns and Whitney Robertson.
• Michael J. Porter STEM Scholarship – Wade Garber.
• Pocahontas County FFA Memorial Scholarship – Cammi Warner.
• Dr. Roland P. Sharp Family Memorial Scholarship – Cammi Warner.
• Gay and Becky Shinaberry Scholarship – Allison Friel.
• Hattie Rae Callison Memorial Scholarship – Warren Burns and Whitney Robertson.
The Durbin Lions Club Virgil and Macel Harrison Scholarship was presented to Ramona Hardy.
Berkley Buzzard received the Alice Waugh Memorial Scholarship.
Receiving the Dr. Charles Glen Shinaberry Scholarship and Dr. Mary Tibitha Moore Shinaberry Public Trust scholarship were Shayla Bennett, Dylan Keller, Whitney Robertson, Berkley Buzzard, Tristen O’Steen, Gary Warner, Wade Garber and Calli Propst.
Calli Propst received the Emma S. Beard Memorial Scholarship.
The Orr Lee McMann Award was presented to Ayden Fedak.
The Raymond and Eva Shrader Scholarship was presented to Berkley Buzzard.
Receiving the Ora Belle Thompson Sharp Scholarship was Cammi Warner.
Joseph Van Meter received the United States Senate Youth Program Scholarship, PCHS National Honor Society Scholarship and the TRIO Program Scholarship.
Nature’s Mountain Classroom director Tracey Valach presented graduation cords to Ramona Hardy, Tristen O’Steen, Shealynn Plaugher, Joseph Van Meter, Whitney Robertson, Cammi Warner and Allison Friel.
Closing the event, the National Honor Society installed officers for the 2026-2027 school year.
The officers are – president Baylee Nelson, vice president Caroline Bennett, secretary Allyson Taylor, treasurer Kaidence Cutlip, lead conference and chapter of distinction coordinator Dixie Schoolcraft and public relations officers Clair Buzzard and Catherine Lucabaugh.
