BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Fifteen high school juniors from across West Virginia have been named semifinalists in the 2019 West Virginia Scholar Program.
The students remain in the running for for a four-year full ride scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon valued at approximately $160,000.
The names of the finalists released May 22. Online voting takes place from May 22 until June 15. The West Virginia Scholar Program Awards Luncheon is set for June 19 on the Wesleyan campus.
The scholarship provides an outstanding opportunity, according to Wesleyan Vice President John Waltz.
“The opportunity to win a scholarship near $160,000 over the course of four years is really a life-changing experience. Not only for the person who wins that award but for the runners-up,” he said.
Waltz said the scholarship is about more than academic achievement.
“They are looking for a great story. Students who have done a great community service effort. They’ve been a leader on one of their sports teams, have been involved in the creative arts or their church or whatever it might be. These are people who are changing the state of West Virginia as juniors,” he said.
Joining West Virginia Wesleyan and MetroNews as sponsors are the West Virginia Hospital Association, ZMM Architects & Engineers, West Virginia Farm Bureau, A.I.P. (Architectural Interior Products) and Friends of Coal.
The semifinalists are:
Jakob Baker Philip Barbour HS
Abigail Bowe George Washington HS
Josie Carmichael Ravenswood HS
Caitlyn Cormack Woodrow Wilson HS
Garrett Davis South Harrison HS
Rachel Kazmirski Brooke HS
Megan Meyer Hedgesville HS
Michael Offutt Hedgesville HS
Thomas Onks Nitro HS
Bethanny Prascik Notre Dame HS
Madalyn Rose Nicholas County HS
Sara Snyder Musselman HS
Chloe Sotomayor Roane County HS
Sofia Triplett Elkins HS
Camron Wayne Braxton County HS