West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner hosted two student leaders from Pocahontas County High School (PCHS) as his honored guests at the State Capitol February 21.
Olivia Vandevender and Clayton Burns – both members of the 2024 graduating class at PCHS – were recommended by their principal to represent their high school as Honorary Secretaries of State for their efforts to register members of the senior class to vote. Nominations for Honorary Secretaries of State are only accepted by those high schools that qualify for the Jennings Randolph Award. To qualify for the Award, a West Virginia high school must host a student-led effort to register at least 85 percent of their eligible senior class to vote.
Started by the WV Secretary of State’s Office in 1994, the Jennings Randolph Award for Civic Engagement commemorates West Virginia’s late U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph’s legacy as the Father of the 26th Amendment. One of the defining moments in voting rights history, the 26th Amendment was passed in 1971. The Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
“With the designation of Honorary Secretaries of State, Vandevender and Burns have proven to their school, community and state that they are committed to seeing more young people in West Virginia voting and playing an active role in our government,” Warner said. “Fewer than thirty high schools in the state will receive this prestigious recognition for the 2023-24 school year.”
In addition to a tour of the Secretary of State’s Office and the State Capitol, House of Delegates members Jeff Campbell and Ty Nestor recognized Burns and Vandevender respectively during the House floor session.
