Tucker County High School celebrates the 2017 senior awards Thursday evening at the school. Seniors received scholarships, awards and cords for Friday’s Commencement. The top 10 TCHS graduates are Valedictorian Melanie Adams. Salutatorian Elizabeth Nichols, Justin Fike, Abigail Holm, Quinnlan Buckley, Kenzie Kyle, Leah Underwood, Ethan Crosten, Lindsey Poling and Karsyn White.
HAMBLETON – Parents, grandparents, community members and friends gathered Thursday evening at Tucker County High School to celebrate academic achievements, scholarships, awards and completion of programs during the school’s Senior Awards Program.
TCHS Principal Jay Hamrick recognized the 2017 valedictorian Melanie Adams and Salutatorian Elizabeth Nichols as well as the top 10 students including Justin Fike, Abigail Holm, Quinnlan Buckley, Kenzie Kyle, Leah Underwood, Ethan Crosten, Lindsey Poling and Karsyn White.
Tucker County Community Foundation Scholarships were presented by TCF Executive Director Robert Burns. Those scholarships included the Milkint Scholarship for $8,200 to William Callaway; the Kep and Alice Smith Scholarship for $2,000 to Kenzie Kyle, the Chenoweth Fund Scholarship Award for $3,700 to Leah Underwood and the Carr Fund Scholarship for $2,800 to Karsyn White.
Burns presented two Parsons High School Alumni Scholarships for $2,400 to Brett Strawderman and Justin Fike, the Harry-Elizabeth Boyce Scholarship for $1,800 to Elizabeth Nichols, the Shahan Memorial Fund for $1,400 to Abigail Holm, the Davis FOE Scholarship Fund for $1,400 to Dillon Knotts, the Preble Scholarship Fund to Quinnlan Buckley for $1,100 and the Kee-W. Denzil and Ernestine Scholarship for $900 to Logan Pennington.
The Bradley J. Ramsey Scholarship for $900 went to Jared Johnson, the George and Marjorie Walburn Memorial Fund award of $800 went to Lindsey Poling. The Martha C. Sponaugle Scholarship for $700 went to Ethan Crosten and Melanie Adams and Logan Pitzer each received $700 from the Clarkson Scholarship Fund. Gary Meloy received $600 the Roberts and Villalobos Millen Scholarship Fund. Brody Strawderman and Jenna Walker received the $500 Harold and Ruth Shaffer Scholarship and Ryan Hart received the Madeline R. Miller Scholarship Fund. Katlynn Bates received the $500 Clark Scholarship Fund.
Coach Shane Eakle presented four Fellowship of Christian Athlete Scholarships to Lindsey Poling, Justin Fike, Melanie Adams. Kelly Underwood presented the Mountain Lion Fund Award of $1,000 to Lindsey Poling. The George W. Higgs Scholarship for $400 went to Patrick Dellinger and the Citizen Bank Scholar was Elizabeth Nichols. Both awards were presented by Debbie Ritter.
The Mountaineer High School Class of 1961 award for $1,800 went to Lindsey Poling. Bud Parsons and Sue Ann Silk presented five $400 scholarships from the Parsons Alumni to Katlynn Bates, Ethan Crosten, Brody Strawderman, Leah Underwood and Karsyn White. Parsons and Silk also presented the Peggy Berry Clendenin Scholarship for $1,200 to Quinnlan Buckley and $1,000 to Abby Bowley from the Hendricks Ruritan Club.
Three students received $1,000 scholarships from Dominion Mt. Storm. David Helmick made the presentation to Elizabeth Nichols, Abigail Holm and Karsyn White.
Betty Kinicley presented the Good Citizens Award and $100 from the Daughters of the American Revolution to Brody Strawderman and Cassandra Allen.
Kim Johnson, TCHS guidance counselor, presented $1,500 from the Oakland Foundation in memory of John Lutz to Karsyn White, $1,000 from the Stone Environment Scholarship to Isaac Snyder and a scholarship from the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation to Abigail Holm.
Crystal Bays, field site coordinator for HSTA, recognized Miranda Bohon, Slayter Liller and Lindsey Poling as members of HSTA.
This is the first year for the Murray G. Dearborn Memorial Scholarship. It was presented by his daughter Sandy Schmiedeknect and Angie Shockley. Two Tucker County Rotary Scholarships for $1,000 were presented by Jennifer Newland to Lindsey Poling and Jenna Walker.
Principal Jay Hamrick recognized the Student of the Year and Student of Excellence Award winner Elizabeth Nichols.
The 2017 Promise Scholarship Award was presented to seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who scored an ACT of at least 22 with a minimum of 20 in each of the four areas. Recipients of the $4,750 per year for tuition include Melanie Adams, Quinnlan Buckley, Justin Fike, Abigail Holm, Jared Johnson, Kenzie Kyle, Elizabeth Nichols and Brett Strawderman.
Those receiving the Promise Beyond Scholarship for Fairmont State University for $2,546 include Melanie Adams and Brett Strawderman. Strawderman also received the $1,000 Falcon Scholarship. Ethan Crosten received $500 from the William White Scholarship and Miranda Bohon received $5,450 per year through the William White HSTA Award.
Molly Jouvenal of Pierpont College presented Aspen Crossland with a scholarship and Adam Pratt of West Virginia Junior College gave scholarships to Autumn Kesner, Sheyenne Delawder and Anthony Parsons. Scholarships for West Liberty went to Melanie Adams, Justin Fike and Kenzie Kyle.
Scholarships from Potomac State College were given to Miranda Bohon, Camryn Cummings and Jared Johnson. Rachelle Davis presented award to West Virginia University to Logan Pitzer, Sophia Ricottilli and Leah Underwood. Sharee Thomas from West Virginia Wesleyan College presented scholarships to Kordel Fulton, Dylan Knotts, Elizabeth Nichols, Lindsey Poling and Dillon Swartz.
Highland Scholarship winners to Davis & Elkins College include Kaitlyn Bates, Abrielle Bowley, Garrett Carrico, Ryan Hart, Gary Meloy and Kiley Simmons. The presentation was made by Angie Goodwin of D&E College.
A full ride scholarship to Eastern College was presented to Ty Stanley.
The Mountain Lions Club of Aurora presented two scholarships in Preston County and one in Tucker County to Michelle Harsh.
Alexander Dyer and Lindsay Johnson were recognized by representatives from the Army National Guard.
Career and Technical Education completers were recognized and include more than 50 TCHS seniors. Completers include:
Health Occupations – Cassandra Allen, Haley Allender, Katlynn Bates, Miranda Bohon, Abrielle Bowley, Hunter Canfield, Aspen Crossland, Camryn Cummings, Haley Cussins, Michelle Harsh, Ryan Hart, Joshua Kincaid, Gary Meloy, Elizabeth Nichols, Lindsey Poling, Alicia Pritt, Sophia Ricottilli, Cheyenne Summerfield, Jenna Walker, Abigail Zais and Isabella Zais.
Automotive – Kordell Fulton, Brian Arnold, Garett Carrico, Brendan Corbitt, Patrick Dellinger, Joshua Freeman, Jameson Hardy, David Howell, Lindsay Johnson, Jared Johnson, Dillon Knotts, Anthony Parsons, Evan Rhoades, Isaac Snyder, Ty Stanley, Brody Strawderman and Dillon Swartz.
Collision Repair – Kendall Gooden, Noah Nelson, Jonathan Paugh and Logan Pennington.
ProStart – Jakob Cousin, Alexander Dyer, Carley Eye and Amanda Waybright.
Agribusiness – Jared Bedenours and Evan Shahan.
Business Education – Melanie Adams, Brent Conrad, Ashleigh Evers and Branden Mcgee.
Carpentry – Evan Jones and Austin Parsons.
International Thespian Society – Abigail Holm, Autumn Kesner, Cassandra Allen, Hope Roy and Alexander Dyer.
Art – Karsyn White
Prior to the 2017 Awards Ceremony, the Tucker County High School and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted a Baccalaureate Service with guest speaker Coach Rod Auvil.
FCA Advisors include Coach Eakle, Mrs. Nestor and Mr. FCA completed projects for 2017 include Operation Christmas Child, Operation Christmas Card, Dress and Angel: Tucker County Style, the Sport event meals, Sledding with Our Savior, movie nights with a canned food drive and scholarships.
