(L-R) Ed Toman Superintendent Gilmer County Schools, Nasia Butcher Gilmer County High School Principle, GSC President DR. Peter Barr, Sara Wise, Attorney General Darrell McGraw
Submitted by Bob Edwards
Public Relations Dept. Asst.
Glenville State College
Glenville, WV - Glenville State College President Dr. Peter Barr was one of over thirty local veterans who were the guests of honor at the annual Gilmer County High School Veteran's Day Assembly held at the school on Friday, November 9th. West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw, also an American Veteran, was the guest speaker for the program, which included patriotic poems and songs. Each veteran in attendance was introduced to the audience with a brief bio of their military service. Dr. Barr is a veteran of the United States Army, serving from 1969 through 1972, earning the rank of First Lieutenant. Barr and McGraw also took advantage of the assembly to make two special presentations.
Attorney General McGraw presented Gilmer County High School senior Sara Wise with a laptop computer as the Gilmer County winner of a statewide online Constitution and Citizenship Contest. Every senior in West Virginia was eligible to take the test, including public, private, and home-taught students. Wise won a drawing of all students who received a perfect score on the test in Gilmer County. The Attorney General's Office presented a laptop to the winner in all 55 counties in West Virginia. "Technology is a very important facet of education. Computers are now a necessary tool that connects students to the modern world, teaching fundamental skills needed for living and learning," said McGraw. The laptop computers were purchased with vouchers that were made available as part of the settlement of a lawsuit with the Microsoft Corporation.
GSC President Dr. Peter Barr then awarded Sara Wise with a Hidden Promise Scholarship of $1,000 per year if she chooses to attend Glenville State College. "Sara embodies the students we are trying to reach with the Hidden Promise Scholars Program. She is as smart as a tack and has exhibited tremendous ability. There are so many students just like her that just need someone to recognize their potential and help encourage them to go to college," said Dr. Barr.
Wise, who was overcome with emotion said, "I did not know if I could go to college, but this scholarship and computer will help make it possible." Dr. Barr's Hidden Promise Scholars Program is a regional collaboration with thirteen county school systems in Central West Virginia to identify students like Sara and award them scholarships at Glenville State College.
Also at the GCHS assembly a moment of silence was observed to honor fallen veterans. Among those noted was former GSC student Brian Richardson of Nicholas County. In November of 2004, Richardson a member of the Army Reserves had just completed his student teaching at Gilmer County High School, when he was called to duty in Iraq. In March of 2005, Richardson was killed in a roadside collision. Brian Richardson was a Math Education Major at GSC. "Brian is missed so much by those of us who knew him. He would have been the type of teacher our students need to encourage them to reach their potential," said Gilmer County High School Principal Nasia Butcher.
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