BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Fifteen high school juniors in West Virginia have been named as semifinalists in the West Virginia Scholar program.
The program, now in its 17th year, includes a four-year scholarship to West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon. One of the semifinalists will be selected for the scholarship valued at approximately $160,000.
WVRC Media, the parent company of MetroNews, is partnering with Wesleyan to provide the scholarship that includes free tuition, fees, and room and board.
Each finalist will next go through a personal interview process and a review by the sponsors. Online voting for the students begins May 31 and will end June 11.
The winner will be announced at a luncheon at West Virginia Wesleyan this summer.
The sponsors for the 2024 West Virginia Scholar Program include Greer Industries, Friends of Coal, West Virginia Hospital Association, ZMM Architects & Engineers, the West Virginia Farm Bureau and West Virginia Wesleyan College.
The 15 semifinalists in alphabetical order are:
Sydne Alexander, Winfield High School
Maggie Conrad, Wirt County High School
Trey Dorsey, Nicholas County High School
Hayden Funk, Webster County High School
Kelly Flynn, East Hardy High School
Ava Gorrell, Tyler Consolidated
Madison Lawson, Bluefield High School
Jayla Lynch, Oak Hill High School
Olivia Miller, Grafton High
Catherine Milliman, Hedgesville High School
Colby Nichols, Tyler Consolidated
Jayleigh Persinger, Midland Trail High School
Brynna Pyle, Webster County High School
Rayna Schnopp, University High
Jasmine Zirkle, Buckhannon-Upshur High School