Students spend their eighth grade years studying West Virginia history, culture and geography in preparation to take the Golden Horseshoe test. Winners were announced in early May.

This year, 225 students will become Knights of the Golden Horseshoe during an annual ceremony on June 9, hosted by the West Virginia Department of Education.

Held at the West Virginia Culture Center at the State Capitol Complex, the ceremony includes recognitions of these students by state and federal officials. State Superintendent Michele Blatt will conduct the event. The ceremony will once again be live streamed by West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Local winners

    Each of West Virginia’s 55 counties will be represented by top students at the Golden Horseshoe ceremony.

In Morgan County, those three students include Aryonna Stotler, a student at Paw Paw Schools, and Dominick Fox and Kii Younker, students at Warm Springs Middle School.

Stotler took her West Virginia history class from William Taylor at Paw Paw High School this past year. While English is her favorite subject, she excelled on the Golden Horseshoe test, thanks to some practice tests. Still, she was surprised to have been named a winner.

Stotler said she found out she was one of the county winners during “one random day in art class.”

“Everyone was really surprised,” she said.

In addition to her studies, Stotler has played volleyball at the school.

Fox and Younker are students of Debra Gates at Warm Springs Middle School.

Fox said he enjoyed learning the state history ahead of the test.

“It’s fun,” he said.

He admitted that the questions about the state rivers and such – West Virginia geography – were the toughest.

In addition to his studies, Fox has participated in Math Field Day and other academic extracurriculars. He has plans to go into the education field.

Younker is excited to attend the ceremony in Charleston with family. On top of his academic endeavors, he participates in football, wrestling and track locally.

Why the Golden Horseshoe?

In 1716, Governor of the Virginia Colony Alexander Spotswood led a group of explorers west of the Allegheny Mountains into what is now largely West Virginia.

To honor their courage and determination in crossing the rugged terrain, he awarded each participant a small golden horseshoe. This year commemorates the 310th anniversary of the Golden Horseshoe tradition.

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The Berkeley Springs Lady Indians delivered a strong and promising showing at the 2026 WV Class AA State Track and Field Championships at Laidley Field, finishing 10th out of 20 teams overall with 29.5 points and highlighting a program on the rise with multiple All-State performances.

Leading the way was sophomore Abigail Close, who earned Runner-Up All-State honors in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing second with a personal-best time of 49.38. Close’s breakthrough performance established her among the top hurdlers in Class AA while also contributing a sixth-place finish in the high jump (4-10.00).

Fellow sophomore Reese Souders secured a podium finish in the high jump, placing third with a personal-best clearance of 5-0.00. She also added a ninth-place finish in the 800 meters (2:34.84), demonstrating her versatility across events.

In the distance events, sophomore Bella Shoemaker earned All-State recognition with a seventh-place finish in the 3200 meters, clocking a personal-best 13:06.13.

Senior Aviona Ambrose contributed an All-State performance in the 100-meter hurdles, placing eighth in 18.09 after posting a personal-best 16.95 in the preliminaries to qualify for the finals.

In the throwing events, junior Katie Risinger placed fifth in the shot put (32-2.75) and also competed in the discus, finishing 13th.

The Lady Indians also found success in relay competition. The 4×102.5 shuttle hurdle relay team of Aviona Ambrose (12), Ava Michael (9), Maci Michael (10) and Abigail Close (10) earned All-State honors with a sixth-place finish (1:13.08).

Additional relay performances included:

• 4×200 relay (12th, 1:58.41) Isabelle Bingaman (11), Reese Souders (10), Ava Michael (9), Abigail Close (10)
• 4×100 relay (16th, 55.56) Aviona Ambrose (12), Maci Michael (10), Lilli Stevens (12), Xavia Willcox (9)

Senior Maddie Close added an All-State effort in the pole vault, finishing sixth at 8-0.00.

On the boys’ side, Berkeley Springs tied for 19th place out of 22 teams, led by sophomore Landon Tausen, who earned All-State honors with a fifth-place finish in the long jump (20-1.00). The 4×800 relay team of Josh Walls (12), Joshua Lucas (9), Haven Ailor (11) and Jay Nazelrod (11) placed 11th with a time of 9:20.46.

A defining theme of Berkeley Springs’ performance was the impact of its underclassmen. Several key contributors, including Abigail Close, Reese Souders, Bella Shoemaker, Landon Tausen, Ava Michael, Maci Michael and Xavia Willcox, are freshmen and sophomores.

With multiple personal records achieved on the state’s biggest stage and several All-State finishes secured by returning athletes, the Lady Indians have positioned themselves as a program with significant upward momentum.

As the team looks ahead, expectations will continue to rise for a young core that has already demonstrated its ability to compete among the best in Class AA.

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The class of 10 shared their motto of “Cherish Yesterday, Live for Today, Reach for Tomorrow.”

Graduates include Marshall Carder, Payton Farris, Alexis Kidwell, Dakota McDonald, Lydia Ross, Randall Ryan, Jr., Tomy Santos, Shayla Tanouye, Grace Deschenes (James Rumsey) and Starlet Polson (James Rumsey).

Salutatorians Alexis Kidwell and Shayla Tanouye shared their recollections of years spent together as a class at Paw Paw Schools. Kidwell is a member of the National Honor Society and is pursuing certification for a career in welding. Tanouye will attend West Virginia State University to pursue a degree in social work and to join their track and cross country teams on a full scholarship.

Valedictorian Payton Farris urged his classmates to have hope and to be present in their lives instead of being stuck in past mistakes or focusing too much on the future. Farris will attend West Virginia University on a full ride scholarship to pursue a degree in nursing.

The class chose Megan Bennett as their commencement speaker. She’s taught science at Paw Paw High School for 10 years. Bennett recalled many moments with the class over six years of teaching them.

“Your educational journey thus far has prepared you for today. What now?” she asked.

Bennett told graduates they “must choose to persist” when adulthood presents challenges and roadblocks.

She said that will determine their success in life – whether they fall into the trap of giving up or choosing to persevere toward their goals.

“Choose what is right, not what is easier,” Bennett said.

Principal Melinda Kasekamp and Assistant Principal Amber Gutherie presented diplomas to the eight attending graduates after a presentation of scholarships and awards by Counselor Tina Boswell-Stickley. Graduates were then honored with a slideshow of childhood and high school photos of each.

Board of Education members Aaron Close, Laura Smith, Chuck Bergen, Justin Litten and John Rowland honored graduates with Superintendent David Banks.

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Morgan County school board officials voted unanimously on Tuesday, May 19 to adopt their proposed 2027 Fiscal Year budget. No member of the public spoke during the Public Hearing about the budget at that meeting.

The total estimated revenue and expenditures contained in the budget total $34,693,062 for the period beginning July 1, 2026 and running through June 30, 2027. This is the period of the 2027 fiscal year.

Of that total, there is an anticipated property tax revenue of $13,681,535 from local sources, and an estimated $16,639,347 in State Aid to the school system. The budget includes a $3.35 million carryover. Some of those funds are taken in during one fiscal year but due to be paid out in another.

Under the expenditure listing, the school board and finance officers projected that $18.2 million will be spent on instruction costs for more than 2,000 county students.

Another $13.2 million is budgeted for “Supporting Services” that include services for students, instructional staff, central administration, school administration, central services, operation and maintenance of facilities and student transportation.

Other expenses in the budget include food services and principal retirement contributions.

The budget includes $1.73 in budgetary reserves.

A special revenue fund of $4.6 million contains revenue from federal sources that are earmarked for specific programs. The county’s food services line item rests in this fund, at a cost of $2.395 million.

School finance officer Erin Hook told board members she had to make adjustments in the budget for fuel expenses.

A capital projects fund of $2.9 million is budgeted for work on school buildings.

Morgan County Schools operates six schools for students across the county and grade levels – Pleasant View Elementary, Widmyer Elementary, Warm Springs Intermediate School, Warm Springs Middle School, Paw Paw Schools and Berkeley Springs High School.

Superintendent review

In other business, Superintendent David Banks received his annual evaluation from the board of education.

Board members went into closed session during the May 19 meeting to conduct the evaluation. When they returned to open session, School Board President Aaron Close issued the following statement:

“On Tuesday May 19, 2026 the Morgan County Board of Education completed the Superintendent’s annual employment review and evaluation, highlighting significant progress across key strategic goals while emphasizing the district’s commitment to continuous staff and student academic improvement along with facility upgrades.

“Superintendent Banks has demonstrated strong experienced leadership and a clear dedication to students and staff.  We, the Board, are pleased to report Superintendent Banks has met and or exceeded the goals set for the school year 2025-2026,” the board said.

During the opening of the meeting, Superintendent Banks spoke about the recent receipt of the Purple Star award for support of military families for Morgan County Schools.

He said there’s a point person in each school to smooth the transition for any military child who’s changing locations due to their parents service. In West Virginia, 74 schools received the Purple Star award, including Morgan County that renewed its award.

Band director Ian Helmick also highlighted the recent outstanding  performance of the middle school band during a recent competition.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these kids,” he said.

During the board meeting, Aaron Close congratulated the turnout of voters in support of the Excess Levy, as a sign of confidence in the school system.

John Rowland talked about the 1960s when the school levy initially passed, and then in short order passed a bond that built several of Morgan County’s schools. He is impressed with their vision and investment in local schoolchildren.

Laura Smith said she really appreciated the people who worked on the committee and candidates who talked about the levy renewal as well.

Beth Golden told board members that she and several other administrators and five teachers will attend an Instructional Empowerment conference in Florida as speakers and participants.

“It’s a wonderful way to begin a new year with new ideas,” she said.

Instructional Empowerment is a company that has a contract with Morgan County Schools to advise officials on professional development and other support programs to increase the effectiveness of teaching in county schools.

Personnel changes

School board members also considered and voted on an array of personnel actions at the May 19 meeting.

Kyla Smith was hired as a first grade teacher for Widmyer Elementary, beginning August 10, contingent upon meeting employment requisites.

Athena Frank was hired as a Social Studies teacher for Berkeley Springs High School, effective August 10.

Amber Guthrie was approved to transfer from assistant principal and special education teacher at Paw Paw Schools to Special Education Coordinator for the county, effective July 1.

Erica Brown was hired as a substitute bus operator, effective May 20. Brown was also approved as a Cook II, effective August 10.

Stephanie Subetto was hired as a Bus Operator, effective August 10.

Amy Lange will transfer from a special education aide and autism mentor at Widmyer Elementary to a Kindergarten Teacher Aide at Pleasant View, effective August 10.

Becky Barkley was approved as the Head Volleyball Coach for Berkeley Springs High School, effective May 20. Board members approved the resignation of Linwood Sealy, assistant Cross Country coach at Berkeley Springs High School, effective April 21.

Joshua Jones was hired as a math teacher at Berkeley Springs High School, effective August 10.

Julia Simpkins resigned as 8^th grade Language Arts teacher at Warm Springs Middle School, effective June 30.

Mandy Blank was hired as a Summer Program Cook II, effective June 15.

Barb Munson was hired as Summer Program Bus Operator, effective June 15.

Gloria Rankin was hired as Summer Program Bus Operator, effective June 15.

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Senior Lilliana Stevens gave the welcoming address, Eva Thompson introduced guests and Brian Ailor and Ava Slovinsky introduced guest speaker Ben Kase. Kase, Assistant Principal at Warm Springs Middle School, previously taught English at the high school and shared his reflections on those times and life ahead for the class.

Salutatorian Aviona Ambrose spoke next to the class and families, followed by Valedictorian Macy Fincham.

Fincham spoke to her classmates about the true gauge of the values in life – not our achievements but the value and power of love.

“Sometimes, love looks like being on FaceTime with a friend for hours stressed about an assignment. Sometimes, love looks like our families and friends showing up for our sports events and activities…Love is when we miss the winning shot in a game, and our team still hugs us. Love is our churches giving to those in need. These types of love are all the same,” Fincham told her class.

“We all often get caught up in societal pressures like the need to make money, maintaining a good GPA, and receiving validation from others. However, graduating has been a reminder that success can only be determined by you when you trust your own path. In other words, I believe we need to love our own paths in life,” said Fincham.

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Jurick qualified for the national geographic knowledge competition after participating in several rounds of qualifiers at Berkeley Springs High School and through an online qualifier. History teacher Joey Giles organized Berkeley Springs’ participation in the nationwide contest and helped arrange Jurick’s participation in the national final.

This is the first year of the National Geography Bee – a successor to the National Geographic GeoBee, which ran from 1989 to 2019. It stopped during COVID and was not restarted. Two former winners of the GeoBee – Rahem Hamid and Pranay Varada — who were classmates at Harvard University decided to resurrect the geography challenge.

In 2026, more than 6,000 high school students in 14 states participated in the National Geography Bee through their high schools. 40 finalists were chosen and 38 competed during the National Competition in the Boston area.

Jurick was the only student from West Virginia to make it to the National Competition.

He competed against high school students from 9^th to 12^th grade from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Connecticut, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland and Minnesota.

After a 12-question preliminary round that tested the students’ American and international geographic and cultural knowledge, 10 top competitors advanced to the final round to vie for the top three spots and prizes.

Questions mixed historical events and significant landmarks with physical geography facts to challenge the participants during timed rounds.

Jurick missed reaching the top 10 slots, but finished 13^th of 20 in his preliminary round.

Interested in the world

Jurick said he has always been interested in maps, globes and history. He was surprised to have qualified so quickly for the national competition.

“I found it a great opportunity to display all the hard work I’ve put into studying geography over the years,” he said.

He said he finds geography, maps and history interesting.

“My interest comes from a desire to understand the world I live in,” Jurick said.

Event organizers applauded the efforts of the students to pursue their interest in geography and world knowledge, and encouraged all to continue their pursuit of learning.

Jurick said he enjoyed participating in the contest, which he called “challenging.” He said the event was well run, went smoothly and was well-arranged.

“I thought it was a pretty good competition at the high school level. Hopefully the Bee continues to exist and the high school continues to participate in it,” he said.

“They certainly tested my knowledge of geography,” he said of the national competition.

“I’m very appreciative of the Bee and the Morgan County School Board for providing funds for me and my family to be able to travel to attend,” he said.

Jurick is a rising junior. He’s active in the Social Studies National Honor Society and is co-captain of the Berkeley Springs High School Quizbowl team. He is an active parishioner at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Berkeley Springs and completed a 72-mile walk on the Camino de Santiago in Spain over Spring Break with several other local parishioners. He is the son of Kate Shunney and Jeff Jurick.

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A total of 500 students from 44 counties took part in the competition. In order to participate at the state level, students must have received a first-place award at both the county and regional levels.

Morgan County Schools was represented at the state fair by Isaiah Clegg and Alex White from Paw Paw High School; Rylan McCusker and Ethan Stewart from Warm Springs Middle School; and Corali Johnson, Kendall Risinger, Joshua Lucas, Rhaina Botticher, and Alexander Sage from Berkeley Springs High School.

Out of the nine Morgan County Schools’ students who presented, eight received top honors.

In Division II, Isaiah Clegg received 2nd place for his Geography group project (with T.J. Ginevan), “The Geographic Effect of the Black Plague,” and Rylan McCusker and Ethan Stewart received 2nd place for their U.S. History group project, “Disney Pins.”

In Division III, Corali Johnson and Kendall Risinger received 3rd place for their Economics group project, “Debt, Dollars, and Decisions”; Joshua Lucas received 3rd place for his Geography project, “Life Between the Ridges”; and Rhaina Botticher and Alexander Sage received 2nd place for their Special Topic: American 250 group project, “Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson.”

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This program assists eligible households in purchasing groceries during the summer months when school meals are unavailable.

Eligible families can receive $120 per school age child for the summer season.

The 2026 Summer EBT program will run from June 1 through August 20 and will provide a one-time grocery benefit. To receive benefits during the initial issuance, households should submit a completed application by May 15, 2026. Applications will continue to be accepted through August 20, 2026, and will be processed within 15 business days after receipt.

Applications can be obtained at DoHS county offices, through the Office of Constituent Services, or downloaded at bfa.wv.gov/summer-ebt. Applications will be available in paper format only and may be submitted in person, by mail, email, or fax.

Eligibility and Benefits

Benefits will be issued as a one-time payment, either added to an existing SNAP or WV WORKS EBT card or provided on a new Mountain State EBT card.

Most eligible students will be automatically enrolled through the PATH system if they:

–Receive SNAP, WV WORKS, or qualifying Medicaid

–Are in foster care

–Are identified as homeless, migrant, or runaway

–Are enrolled in WV Head Start

These households do not need to apply and can expect to receive benefits beginning the week of May 25.

Households not automatically enrolled, including those with students attending Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools, must apply to determine eligibility.

Eligibility is based on household income.

Families with questions or needing assistance with the application process may contact the DoHS Customer Service Center at 1-877-716-1212 or visit a local DoHS office for support.

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The Berkeley Springs High School chess team added another impressive achievement to its record with a first-place team finish at the Area-Wide Scholastic Chess Tournament, held Saturday, April 25 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

The four-round Swiss-system tournament brought together students from kindergarten through 12th grade, with 12 high schools represented in the championship section. Fresh off their West Virginia State Championship title and a strong showing at the National Championships in Chicago, the Berkeley Springs team continued its winning momentum in the D.C. metropolitan area.

Berkeley Springs delivered a standout performance, with three players finishing in the top five and securing the points needed for the team victory.

Senior Joseph Guzman-Robles earned an undefeated second-place finish with 3.5 out of 4 possible points. Junior Malcolm Johns and senior Brody Gloyd placed fourth and fifth, respectively, each scoring 3 out of 4. Together, the trio amassed an impressive 9.5 out of a possible 12 points.

Sophomore Dylan Stewart also went undefeated, recording one win and three draws to claim seventh place overall. Additional contributions came from Brian Ailor (13th), Moises Guzman-Robles (15th), and newcomers Bruce Hess (19th) and Cason Wingo (20th), all of whom played key supporting roles in the team’s success.

Tournament organizer David Mehler delivered a thoughtful message during the awards ceremony, emphasizing that rankings, Elo ratings, and match results do not fully capture the true value of scholastic chess.

“What matters most,” he noted, “is what young players learn, the development of their thinking, their resilience, and the connections they build both intellectually and socially.”

For Berkeley Springs students, that lesson may be the most meaningful prize of all. Beyond the trophy now displayed in the high school’s case, the team returns home with something far more lasting: growth, learning, and the joy inspired by the timeless game of chess.

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Now, more than ever before, these local dollars from us ensure that students have what they need to succeed in their public education. The excess levy accounts for around 18% of Morgan County Schools annual budget.

We used to talk about it providing “extras” for county students above what West Virginia school aid would provide. Today, the excess levy actually pays for essentials – staff and programs that our state government requires of our schools but doesn’t pay for.

A strong argument could be made that our counties shouldn’t have to pass an excess levy. But we do.

The State of West Virginia could fund our public schools more fully and currently boasts excess revenue. But state lawmakers have not adjusted the state school aid formula to evolve with changing needs at the classroom level. During a recent candidate forum, members of both parties uniformly said that fully and fairly funding public education is a top priority for our county, our district and our state. We are hopeful they can succeed in that mission.

In the meantime, more than 2,000 Morgan County youth need properly-trained teachers in every subject. They need emotional and mental health supports in their schools. They need access to the technology they’ll use in every aspect of life. They need alternative education and career programs. They need music, arts and athletics. These are the things the excess levy pays for.

We urge voters to vote Yes to its renewal on the non-partisan ballot on May 12.

Unlike many of the taxes we pay, this particular school tax lets us make a direct impact on the betterment of our own community. Students who get a well-rounded public education become better citizens and learn to strive not just for themselves but with their fellow students. We can amplify their potential and their dreams by adding to the resources they have at school. Supporting our local school excess levy sends the message to Morgan County students that they are worth investing in – today and for the future.

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