The members of the Central District of the West Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution revealed the recipient of their WVDAR Central District 1776 Legacy Scholarship during their district meeting held Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Days Inn & Suites
in Flatwoods, W.Va. The scholarship, the brainchild of WVDAR Central District Director, Pat Goodwin, was fully funded by the thirteen Central District chapters in the amount of $1,776 “to honor the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, to reflect upon our nation’s past, to honor the contributions of all Americans, and to look to future generations’ achievements.”
The recipient of this scholarship is Coy Veal, who is the son of Kayla Hallem and Chris Veal, both of Parsons. A 2026 graduate of Tucker County High School, Coy will be attending Davis & Elkins College this fall and will pursue a degree in both Business Administration and Accounting.
Coy’s winning essay expressed what the “Spirit of 1776” meant to him. His essay was judged blindly by the selection committee against seventeen other essays from other 2026 high school seniors in schools located in the eleven counties – Tucker, Preston, Randolph, Upshur, Barbour, Lewis, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Braxton, and Roane – which are the home counties of the thirteen Central District chapters. Blackwater Chapter represents Tucker County.
