Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The achievements of Pocahontas County High School Class of 2017 were honored Thursday at the senior awards night ceremony.
Donors presented awards and scholarships to seniors, recognizing their academic prowess and to assist them in their future endeavors.
Valedictorian Kayla Gibson received the PCHS and Citizens Bank of West Virginia award, which was presented by Bill Jordan.
Salutatorian Carlie Ervine received the W. E. “Tweard” Blackhurst Award, given in memory of Blackhurst, a noted conservationist, author and teacher. Robert Sheets presented the award to Ervine along with a copy of Blackhurst’s book “Riders of the Flood.”
Six honor graduates students received medals – Kayla Gibson, Carlie Ervine, Brady Jones, Kourtney Cohenour, Ryan Puffenbarger and Bradley Harper.
Kayla Gibson and Carlie Ervine each had a cumulative 4.0 GPA or higher. They were recognized for this accomplishment by principal Joe Riley, assistant principal Kristie Tritapoe and guidance counselor Linda Beverage.
Riley also recognized students who maintained faithful attendance – Travis Arbogast, Lindsey Hartzell, Anthony Jaggie, Mary Kelley, Kyle Lester, Trace McKenney and Autumn Nelson.
The Greenbrier Valley Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution recognizes deserving high school students who demonstrate good citizenship by volunteering and working to improve their communities. Chapter representative Rick Woodell presented the chapter award to Kendal Ober.
Trace McKenney received the Orr Lee McMann Award. The award is presented by McMann’s son, Michael, and former PCHS business teacher Linda Stewart in memory of McMann, who was a dedicated agricultural education teacher at Marlinton High School and PCHS.
The Green Bank Observatory awarded its annual Outstanding Science Student Award to Kayla Gibson.
Grace Schebek was recognized for her achievements as the PCHS and Pocahontas County Arts Council’s Senior Artist of the Year.
Carpentry teacher Duane Gibson recognized Keith Harrah and Drake Warder, who, along with sophomores Braeden Hicks and Trey Miller, received gold medals for placing first in the TeamWorks category of the state SkillsUSA competition. The team will represent PCHS in the National Competition in Lousville, Kentucky, this summer.
Gibson also recognized those who were completers in the carpentry program – T. J. Arbogast, Kevin Bennett, Austin Duncan, Robert Eary, Keith Harrah, Justin Hendrick, Ryan Irvine, Patrick McComb, Chasity Moyers, Isaac Pritt, Sean Sharp, Zach Sisler, Matthew Varner, Jacob Walton and Drake Warder.
Completers in business management and administration, and/or information management were: Ryan Brumfield, Kelsey Brooks, Autumn Nelson, Kevin Thompson, Ryan Puffenbarger and Drake Warder.
Welding completers are: Bradley Harper, Danny Kimble, Kaleb Dilley, Michael Long, Austin Sharp, Morgan Mason and Travis Paulowski.
Completing in restaurant management are: Angel Bibb, Brandal Carr, Gabby Cochran, Lylia Cottle, Phabi Evans, Lilly Lane, Brittney Sharp, Allison Turner and Kendal Ober.
Baking and pastries completers were Lylia Cottle and Brittney Sharp.
Austin Sharp received his welding certification from welding teacher Justin Kerr and the West Virginia Department of Education Division of Career Technical Education.
Career Technical Education completers work with the WIN Career Readiness program. The WIN program awards bronze, silver, gold or platinum to students for their accomplishments and certify them to be career ready.
Receiving platinum certificates were: Allie Burns, Lindsey Hartzell, Danny Kimble, Ryan Puffenbarger and Savanna Davis.
Silver certificates were presented to: Kevin Bennett, Kelsey Brooks, Logan Burks, Brandal Carr, Gabby Cochran, Logan Davis, Bradley Harper, Justin Hendrick, Mary Kelley, Lilly Lane, Caleb Mullenax, Autumn Nelson, Sarah Ryder, Brittney Sharp, Eddie Varner and Drake Warder.
Receiving a bronze certificate was Trace McKenney.
The PCHS Warrior Horizon Award is sponsored by the guidance office and is given to students who have demonstrated hard work, determination and perseverance to succeed throughout his or her high school career. Beverage presented this year’s award to Sallie Arbogast.
Bruce Hardwoods in Beverly provides a computer each year to a deserving PCHS senior. This year’s recipient is T. J. Arbogast.
The Promise Scholarship is presented to seniors who plan to attend college in West Virginia, and have attained a 3.0 GPA in core classes and earned a composite score of 22 on the ACT and 20 in each of the sub-scores. Receiving the scholarship were: Logan Burks, Allie Burns, Kourtney Cohenour, Carlie Ervine, Kayla Gibson, Ryan Puffenbarger and Brandon Wilfong.
The Durbin Lions Club sponsors the Virgil and Macel Harris Scholarship, which is given in memory of Mr. Harris, who was a principal at Green Bank High School for 25 years, and Mrs. Harris who was a teacher in Pocahontas County. The award was presented to Kayla Gibson by Durbin Lions Club president Robert Sheets and first vice president Suzanne Stewart.
Kayla Gibson received the Associated Universities Scholarship, which is a four-year competitive scholarship presented to three children of employees located in the various AUI sites around the country.
Each year RESA presents a Youth Tobacco Prevention Leadership Scholarship to a student who has demonstrated leadership in tobacco prevention. Logan Davis was the Region H recipient this year.
Rocky Vannoy and Diana Vannoy presented the Davis Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship to Kayla Gibson and Ryan Irvine.
The Davis Health Systems Foundation Scholarship was presented to Ryan Irvine by Michael Bell.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation presented the Leopold and Elizabeth Marmet Scholarship to Brady Jones.
Kourtney Cohenour received the EQT Foundation and The State Journal scholarship.
Receiving the Davis & Elkins College Upward Bound Program Bridge Program Scholarship were Kourtney Cohenour, JoDee Friel, Autumn Nelson and Grace Schebek.
PCHS alum and West Virginia Wesleyan College student Karen Wilfong presented Ryan Puffenbarger and Sarah Ryder with scholarships from WVWC.
Anthony Jaggie was awarded the Fine Arts Education Scholarship and John C. Shaw Scholarship from Glenville State College.
Davis & Elkins College admissions counselor Phil Engelkemier presented Grace Schebek and JoDee Friel scholarships from D&E.
Brady Jones received an academic scholarship to Bridgewater College.
Katie Warner and PCHS alum Parker White presented several scholarships awarded by West Virginia University to Kayla Gibson, Ryan Irvine, Brandon Wilfong, Allie Burns, Savanna Davis and Carlie Ervine.
Sarah Ryder received the Dr. Layton H. “Tony” Beverage Memorial scholarship, which is presented in memory of Beverage, a 1980 graduate of PCHS, whose career included being a teacher, football coach, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent.
The Loren Buzzard Scholarship is awarded to a PCHS student interested in studying music or radio broadcasting. This scholarship honors the memory of Buzzard, who passed away in 2008 just weeks prior to his graduation. Anthony Jaggie was this year’s recipient.
The Dr. Charles Glen Shinaberry and Dr. Mary Tabitha Moore Shinaberry Public Trust Scholarship was presented to: Allie Burns, Savanna Davis, Carlie Ervine, Kayla Gibson, Lindsey Hartzell, Ryan Irvine, Anthony Jaggie, Brady Jones, Trevor Jordan, Danny Kimble, Autumn Nelson, Connor Pyles, Grace Schebek, Ashley Stuart, Kevin Thompson, Drake Warder and Brandon Wilfong.
Chelsey Lee received the H. A. Yeager Memorial Scholarship. The award is given in memory of Henry Arnout Yeager, long-time principal of Marlinton High School.
The Seneca Woodlands Woman’s Club and Marlinton Woman’s Club presented funds to Carlie Ervine to assist with her expenses as a counselor at the HOBY program this summer.
The two clubs, represented by Mali Minter, also presented a four-year renewable scholarship to Kayla Gibson. Minter also recognized applicants Carlie Ervine and Lindsey Hartzell.
Sam Gibson presented the Warriors Helping Warriors Scholarship to Autumn Nelson, Carlie Irvine, Kayla Gibson and Kevin Thompson.
JoDee Friel received the Raymond and Eva Shrader Scholarship, which was established by the Shrader Estate in 1999 and honors a student in good academic standing.
Bill Jordan presented the Citizens Bank of West Virginia Scholarship to Allie Burns.
Jordan presented the Snowshoe Foundation Scholarship to Logan Davis, Carlie Irvine, Kayla Gibson and Brady Jones.
Ryan Irvine and Danny Kimble received the Par Mar Scholarship.
The Tucker Community Endowment Scholarship Fund awards a scholarship in memory of Dr. Joseph Stefl who served as a physician’s assistant in Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker counties. This year’s recipient was Ryan Irvine.
Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Cara Rose and Snowshoe Foundation’s Bill Jordan jointly presented the Tourism Scholarship to Brittney Sharp.
Selena King presented the Pendleton Community Bank Business, Accounting and Finance Scholarship to Wyatt Workman.
The Norval Waugh Scholarship is awarded by his daughter, Brenda Waugh, in honor of her father, a life-long educator. This year, Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth presented the scholarship to Kayla Gibson and Sarah Ryder.
Patrick “Cully” McCurdy presented the National Wildlife Turkey Federation Pocahontas Strutters Conservation Scholarship to Austin Sharp. The scholarship is given in memory of William Dilley, a noted conservationists and PCHS alum.
Mike Williams presented the Alice Rowan Waugh Memorial Scholarship to Kayla Gibson. The scholarship is given in memory of Waugh, a longtime educator.
Receiving the Emma S. Beard Memorial Scholarship were: Travis Arbogast, Sallie Arbogast, Brandal Carr, Gabby Cochran, JoDee Friel, Chazlyn Hammons, Tessa Jordan, Mary Kelley, Lilly Lane, Chelsey Lee, Kyle Lester, Trace McKenney, Sarah Ryder, Brittney Sharp, Wyatt Workman and Caleb Mullenax.
Selena King presented the Ora Belle Thompson Sharp Scholarship to Carlie Ervine.
Courtney Smith and Selena King presented the following scholarships:
The Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation Scholarship – Kayla Gibson and Ryan Irvine.
Beulah Moore Scholarship – Kevin Thompson.
Helen and Clark Brumagin Memorial Scholarship – Danny Kimble and Tessa Jordan.
Hazel Dumire Barlow Scholarship – Kayla Gibson.
Dr. Roland P. Sharp Scholarship – Brady Jones, Danny Kimble, Mary Kelley and Lindsey Hartzell.
The Gay and Becky Shinaberry Scholarship was presented to Savanna Davis and Tessa Jordan.
Members of the National Honor Society were recognized for their achievements, as well.
Senior members: Carlie Ervine – president, Brady Jones – vice president, Kayla Gibson – secretary, Kevin Thompson – treasurer, Allie Burns, Kourtney Cohenour, Savanna Davis, JoDee Friel, Lindsey Hartzell, Ryan Irvine, Tessa Jordan, Trevor Jordan, Mary Kelley, Kyle Lester and Drake Warder.
Junior members: Marley Brust, Adrienna Feury, Katie Gibson, Cora Hedrick, Jacob Hise, Mark Jordan, Caitlin Keatley, Laura Leyzorek, Meggan Long, Briana Mills, Mary Grace Rich, Catlyn Sparks and Hunter Wilfong.
National Honor Society officers for the 2017-2018 school year were installed. They are: president Jacob Hise, vice president Mark Jordan, secretary Caitlin Sparks and treasurer Adrienna Feury.
