Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Members of Pocahontas County High School Class of 2018 were honored last Thursday evening at the annual senior awards night event.
Seniors are presented with awards and scholarships from colleges and universities as well as individuals and community organizations.
The event is hosted by the PCHS National Honor Society and sponsored by City National Bank, First Citizens Bank and Pendleton Community Bank.
Members of the NHS were recognized for their achievements and organization of the event. Seniors: Marley Brust, Jake Faris, Adrienna Feury, Madalaine Fleming, Katie Gibson, Cora Hedrick, Jacob Hise, Mark Jordan, Caitlin Keatley, Laura Leyzorek, Meggan Long, Briana Mills, Mary Grace Rich, Catlyn Sparks, Hunter Tankersley, Jarret Taylor and Charles Hunter Wilfong.
Juniors: Emalee Arbogast, Noah Barkley, Kyle Cohenour, Benjamin Davis, Josey Faris, Brianna Hefner, Jacob Jones, Jarod Liptrap, Colton Massey, Brianna Morgan, Elijah Robertson, Mathias Solliday, Taylor Tegtmeyer and Logan Woodruff.
Bill Jordan, representing Citizens Bank of West Virginia presented the Valeditorian Award in the amount of $500 to this year’s Valedictorian Jacob Hise.
Salutatorian Laura Leyzorek received the W.E. “Tweard” Blackhurst Award, presented by Robert Sheets.
Principal Joe Riley and guidance counselor Linda Beverage presented medals to honor graduates, which they will wear at graduation: Jacob Hise, Laura Leyzorek, Meggan Long, Cora Hedrick, Mary Grace Rich, Jake Faris, Catlyn Sparks, Briana Mills, Caitlin Keatley, Charles Hunter Wilfong, Katie Gibson, Marley Brust, Hunter Tankersley, Briar Wilfong, Madalaine Fleming and Mark Jordan.
The AP Scholar Award recognizes exemplary college-level achievement for scoring three or higher on three or more AP exams by junior year. Receiving the award was Jacob Hise.
Riley recognized the following students for having faithful attendance – Madison Bennett, Cora Hedrick, Mark Jordan and Aaron Pritt.
Rick Wooddell, representing the Greenbrier Valley Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, presented the Outstanding Citizenship Award to Jake Faris and the ROTC Medal to Joe Whalen.
The Orr Lee McMann Award, presented in memory of the former agriculture education teacher at Marlinton High School and PCHS, was received by Walker Shinaberry.
Marty Bloss, of the Green Bank Observatory, presented the Outstanding Science Student Awards to Jacob Hise and Laura Leyzorek.
Dylan Workman was recognized as the PCHS and Pocahontas County Art Council’s Senior Artist of the Year.
Duane Gibson and Justin Kerr commended those seniors who competed in the SkillsUSA competitions during their high school career – Logan Dilley, second place TeamWorks 2018; Trevor McPeak, third place plumbing 2017, second place TeamWorks 2018; Levi Ryder, welding competitor 2016 and 2017; Clayton Shinaberry, third place, TeamWorks 2016; Walker Shinaberry, welding fabrication team 2016, 2017 and fourth place 2018; and Hunter Wilfong, carpentry competitor 2017 and 2018.
All 2018 competitors will receive the Opportunity Scholarship from Fairmont State University.
The following students are completers in Career and Technical Education [CTE] courses:
Carpentry: Justin Ames, Morgan Baldwin, Logan Dilley, Darryl Foster, Jeremiah Grimes, Mark Jordan, Trevor McPeak, Matthew Pritt, Dalton Sharp, Clayton Shinaberry, Waylon Shisler, Jarret Taylor, Briar Wilfong and Charles Hunter Wilfong.
Business management and administration and/or information management: Nakita Collins, Erica Mayle and Canessa Parker.
Welding: Dawson Hannah, Jason Jackson, Dewayne Lambert, R.J. McCarty, Shane Peacock, Matthew Pritt, Levi Ryder, Walker Shinaberry and Dylan Workman. Dawson Hannah, R.J. McCarty and Walker Shinaberry also received their state welding certifications.
Forestry: Tyler Dean, Jake Gardner, Cora Hedrick, Jason Jackson, Nathan Morrison, Trey Rabel, Christian Smith, Jarret Taylor and Cedric Wooddell. The students also received the TCIA Chainsaw Specialist Certification.
Agriculture: Savannah Arbogast, Haley Bennett, Ryan Bennett, Preston Beverage, Trent Carpenter, Charity DeHaven, Tara Doss, Darryl Foster, Chara Grimes, Regan Haney, Drake Paulowski, Shane Peacock, Jacob Pyne, Eli Pritt, Chris Riffe, Journey Robinson and Christian Smith.
Restaurant management: Amber Pritt, Dalton Sharp, Andrew Sipe, Tara Warner and Makayla Williams.
Baking and pastries: Tara Warner.
The PCHS CTE program, along with the West Virginia Department of Education and the simulated workplace drug free employee initiative recognizes the following CTE students as drug-free for passing two simulated workplace random drug tests conducted at PCHS – Nakita Collins, Tyler Dean, Logan Dilley, Jason Jackson, Trevor McPeak, Nathan Morrison, Walker Shinaberry, Christian Smith, Jarret Taylor, Tara Warner, Charles Hunter Wilfong, Makayla Williams and Cedric Wooddell.
CTE completers work with the WIN Career Readiness program. Students earn bronze, silver, gold or platinum certificates based on their WIN assessment.
Bronze certificate: Katie Gibson.
Silver certificates: Mark Jordan, Cora Hedrick, Regan Haney, Preston Beverage, Shane Peacock, Levi Ryder, Christian Smith, Briar Wilfong, Trevor McPeak, Darryl Foster and Jeremiah Grimes.
Gold certificate: Mad-alaine Fleming.
The PCHS Warrior Horizon Award, sponsored by the guidance office, was presented to Nakita Collins and Justice Wolfe.
Adrienna Feury received the Bruce Hardwoods Senior Recognition Award.
The Promise Scholarship was presented to: Jake Faris, Katie Gibson, Cora Hedrick, Jacob Hise, Laura Leyzorek, Meggan Long, Mary Grace Rich, Hunter Tankersley, Joseph Whalen and Briar Wilfong.
The Virgil and Macel Harris Scholarship is given by the Durbin Lions Club in memory of the former principal and teacher respectively. President Suzanne Stewart presented the award to Catlyn Sparks.
The Christine Glaab Memorial Award is presented to a CTE student seeking a higher education in a CTE field. The award was presented to Cora Hedrick.
Raymond Godwin and Jim Triplett presented the Davis Medical Center Auxiliary Scholarship to Hunter Wilfong.
Jacob Hise received the Leopold and Elizabeth Marmet Scholarship from the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.
Hise also received the EQT Foundation and The State Journal Scholarship.
Carol Suder-Howes, director of Davis & Elkins College’s Upward Bound Program presented scholarships to the following students: Morgan Baldwin, Marley Brust, Adrieanna Feury, Caitlin Keatley, Meggan Long, Lauren Shisler, Catlyn Sparks, Cora Hedrick and Tara Warner.
Greg Hamons, representing West Virginia University, presented scholarships to the following students: Catlyn Sparks, Hunter Tankersley, Laura Leyzorek, Jacob Hise, Caitlin Keatly, Marley Brust, Jake Faris and Mary Grace Rich.
Morgan Baldwin received the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation Scholarship from Concord University.
Fairmont State University awarded the Aladdin Scholarship to Lauren Shisler and the Promise Beyond Scholarship to Joseph Whalen.
Sarah Ryder, representing West Virginia Wesleyan College, presented scholarships to Meggan Long, Briar Wilfong and Charles Hunter Wilfong.
Tara Warner received a scholarship to Davis & Elkins College and Cora Hedrick received a scholarship to Glenville State College.
Students going into military service were recognized for their willingness to serve their country. Dalton Sharp is joining the Air Force, Trey Rabel will join the Army National Guard and Mark Jordan will join the Marines.
Caitlin Keatley received the Dr. Layton H. “Tony” Beverage Memorial Scholarship, which honors the memory of Beverage and PCHS graduate who was a teacher, football coach, assistant principal, assistant superintendent and principal.
Diana Buzzard presented the Loren Buzzard Scholarship, in memory of her son, to Madalaine Fleming.
The Dr. Charles Glen Scholarship and Dr. Mary Tabitha Moore Shinaberry Public Trust Scholarship were presented to the following: Marley Brust, Jake Faris, Cora Hedrick, Caitlin Keatley, Meggan Long, Briana Mills, Mary Grace Rich, Catlyn Sparks, Hunter Tankersley, Joseph Whalen and Charles Hunter Wilfong.
The Henry Arnout “H.A.” Yeager Memorial Scholarship, given in memory of the longtime principal of Marlinton High School, was presented to Tiler Mortenson-Smith.
Finalists in the Seneca Woodlands Women’s Club and Marlinton Woman’s Club Scholarship were Cora Hedrick, Meggan Long and Catlyn Sparks. Receiving the award was Cora Hedrick.
Cora Hedrick also received the General Federation of Women’s Clubs West Virginia Scholarship, presented by Marlinton Woman’s Club members Cindy Sabota and Louise Barnisky.
Sam Gibson presented the Warriors Helping Warriors Scholarship to Meggan Long, Marley Brust, Catlyn Sparks and Cora Hedrick.
Madalaine Fleming received the Raymond and Eva Shrader Scholarship.
Bill Jordan presented the Citizens Bank of West Virginia Scholarship to Cora Hedrick.
The Snowshoe Foundation, represented by Jessica Stump, Dr. John Perrine and Bill Jordan, gave scholarships to Laura Leyzorek, Meggan Long and Morgan Baldwin.
Jarret Taylor received the Par Mar Scholarship which is awarded to 21 seniors in the states of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Cora Hedrick received the Tucker Community Endowment Scholarship, which is given in memory of Dr. Joseph Stefl. She also received the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau Scholarship, presented by Cara Rose and Bill Jordan.
Philip Anderson presented the Alice Rowan Waugh Memorial Scholarship to Logan Dilley.
Receiving the Emma S. Beard Memorial Scholarship were: Savannah Arbogast, Morgan Baldwin, Logan Dilley, Adrienna Feury, Darryl Foster, Jacob Gardner, Drake Paulowski, Amber Pritt, Journey Robinson, Andrew Sipe, Jarret Taylor, Dylan Workman and Matthew Wyatt.
Selena King presented the Pendleton Community Bank Business, Accounting and Finance Scholarship to Hunter Tankersley.
The Ora Belle Thompson Sharp Scholarship was presented to Marley Brust by Selena King.
The Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation and Pocahontas Community Foundation, represented by Courtney Smith, Selena King and Elizabeth Spangler presented the following awards: Dr. Roland P. Sharp Scholarship: Caitlin Keatley and Logan Dilley. Helen and Clark Brumagin Memorial Scholarship: Hunter Tankersley and Briana Mills. Beulah Moore Scholarship: Hunter Tankersley.
Additional GVCF Scholarships were presented to: Laura Leyzorek, Meggan Long, Cora Hedrick and Hunter Tankersley.
Cheryl Lewis, presented the Gay and Becky Shinaberry Scholarship, which honors the memory of Lewis’ parents, to Catlyn Sparks.
Logan Dilley received the Big Atlantic Classic Basketball Tournament Heart and Hustle Scholarship.
The evening culminated with installation of the 2018-2019 National Honor Society officers: president, Taylor Tegtmeyer; vice president, Jacob Jones; secretary, Jared Liptrap; and treasurer Mathias Solliday.