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Applause to Elkins High School freshman Juliann Harlan, who advanced to the West Virginia American Legion Oratorical contest after capturing first place in the Section B competition. Harlan, who won the District 9 contest back in January, defeated Grafton High School senior Nathan Castle (District 2) and Hampshire High School junior Austin Smith (District 10) to move on. The competition was held at American Legion H.W. Daniels Post 29 in Elkins. Harlan took home $300 for her victory. She will now compete in the American Legion Department of West Virginia Oratorical contest on March 9 at Shinnston Post 31. The state contest is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Just six students from Elkins High School have ever advanced past state competition. That list includes Hayden Long (2018), Lauren Spears (2014), David Conway (1968), Thomas Craig (1963-1964), Patsy Dugan (1960), and Julie Ann Rohr (1959).
Applause to the announcement that a Tucker County school will receive a therapy dog through First Lady Cathy Justice's Friends With Paws program. Prim, a female black Labrador Retriever, will be presented to Davis-Thomas Elementary/Middle School at some point in mid-June, officials announced. Prim is one of the next six therapy dogs that will be placed in Communities In Schools sites across West Virginia as part of the First Lady's Friends With Paws initiative.
Adding these six dogs to Friends With Paws will bring the total number of therapy dogs placed in West Virginia through the program to 25.
Applause to Elkins High School senior student Kaelan Lovett, who will represent the state of West Virginia when he takes part in the Journalism Education Association's National High School Journalism Convention this spring. Lovett was recently selected as the 2024 West Virginia Student Journalist of the Year. He will be recognized at the JEA/National Scholastic Press Association National Spring Journalism Convention in Kansas City, Missouri on April 4-6. Lovett works as a reporter for the school's newspaper and online news site, and also serves as the technical director for Elkins High School's broadcast news show. He moved from Texas to Elkins a year ago and has excelled in both his Journalism and Digital Media classes, said Andrew Carroll, who teaches both courses.
Applause to Project Playground, a fundraising campaign to raise money for new state-of-the-art playground equipment at Beverly Elementary School. A fundraising auction and meatball hoagie sale to benefit the project is set for Saturday, March 9 at the Beverly Fire Hall. The hoagie sale will get underway at 4:30 p.m. on March 9, while the auction will begin at 5 p.m. Hoagies can be ordered in advance at beverlyelem.memberhub.com or by calling 304-636-9162.
Boo to the unfortunate and unexpected closing of Allegheny Wood Products late last week, including its saw mill in Randolph County. The saw mill, located near Norton, off the Buckhannon Pike, joined AWP mills in Bruceton Mills, Kingwood, Moorefield and Petersburg in closing their doors on Feb. 23. It is reported that the company employed about 800 workers across the state. The Allegheny Wood Products came just a week after the surprise announcement that the Cleveland-Cliffs in Weirton will be shutting down within two months, with a loss of 900 jobs.