THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM UNITED STATES SENATOR ROBERT BYRD.

CHARLESTON, W.Va.... U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has presented this year’s students with his Scholastic Recognition Award for their outstanding high school classroom achievements.

"The academic accomplishments of these young students make me very proud. They have earned these scholarships through hard work and determination, and I hope this recognition helps keep them on a lifetime path of learning," Byrd said.

"Growing up in the coalfields in Southern West Virginia, my parents instilled in me a passion for learning that still burns inside me today, even at the age of 89. I would hope to inspire in some way a similar enthusiasm in others. A lifelong thirst for knowledge pays lifelong rewards.”

Statewide, 168 students will receive the annual Byrd award. The Robert C. Byrd Scholastic Recognition Award program annually confers a $50 U.S. Savings Bond upon each valedictorian of the graduating classes of West Virginia’s public, parochial, and private high schools, and the Schools for the Deaf and Blind at Romney. Started in 1969, Byrd has awarded 10,170 West Virginia students more than $242,000 from the private trust fund that he established.

"I congratulate this year’s recipients,” Byrd said, “and encourage them to continue their pursuit of excellence."

Barbour County
Philip Barbour High School Miss Jennifer Daddysman

Berkeley County
Faith Christian Academy Mr. Kyle Tucker

Hedgesville High School Miss Sarah Hime

Martinsburg Christian Academy Miss Sarah Young

Martinsburg High School Mr. Stephen Lovell

Musselman High School Miss Victoria Phillips

Boone County
Christian Faith Academy Miss Anna Harvey

Scott High School Miss Sarah Dolan

Sherman High School Mr. Jeremy Halstead

Van Junior - Senior High School Mr. Erik Hall

Braxton County
Braxton County High School Mr. Joshua Linton

Brooke County
Brooke High School Miss Kylie J. Shaffer

Cabell County
Cabell Midland High School Mr. Jacob Lyon

Covenant School Mr. Joseph Fry

Grace Christian School Miss Megan Pack

Huntington High School Miss Christine Yu

Saint Joseph Central Catholic High School Mr. Samuel Yates

Calhoun County
Calhoun County High School Miss Hanna Law

Clay County
Clay Christian Academy Miss Alyssa Brown

Clay County High School Miss Sherry Sizemore

Doddridge County
Doddridge County High School Miss Sarah Miles

Fayette County
Fayetteville High School Miss Brooke Wheeler

Meadow Bridge High School Mr. Wesley Wyandt

Midland Trail High School Mr. Curtis Sheets

Mount Hope High School Mr. Jordan Maynor

Mountain View Christian School Mr. Gordon Coleman

Oak Hill High School Miss Anna Marie White

Valley High School Mr. Joshua Stuart

Gilmer County
Gilmer County High School Miss Whitney Stalnaker

Grant County
North Fork Christian School Mr. Michael Dolly

Petersburg High School Mr. Jon Webster

Union Educational Complex Miss Amanda Kitzmiller

Greenbrier County
Greenbrier East High School Miss Amanda Griffith

Greenbrier West High School Mr. Brittani Alley

Rainelle Christian Academy Miss Ashley Davis

Seneca Trail Christian Academy Miss Jennifer Lilly

Hampshire County
Hampshire High School Mr. Jon Nicholas Rubenstein

West Virginia School for the Blind Mr. Jermey Sirbaugh

West Virginia School for the Deaf Mr. Justin W. Rhodes

Hancock County
Madonna High School Miss Catlin Nicka

Oak Glen High School Mr. Jordan Beilhart

Weir High School Miss Elizabeth Parnicza

Hardy County
East Hardy High School Mr. Joshua Orndorff

Moorefield High School Miss Erica Lindsay Regester

Harrison County
Bridgeport High School Mr. Ryan San Julian

Emmanuel Christian School Mr. Corey Vaughan

Liberty High School Miss Kathryn Turner

Lincoln High School Miss Kayla Medina

Notre Dame High School Mr. John Quinn Martino

Old Time Baptist School Miss Emily Green

Robert C. Byrd High School Miss Heather Hall

South Harrison High School Miss April Exline

Jackson County
Heritage Christian Academy Miss Melissa Bigley

Ravenswood High School Mr. Jonroy Canady

Ripley High School Mr. Isaac Thompson

Jefferson County
Jefferson High School Mr. Trevor Ford

Kanawha County
Capital High School Miss Rachel Petts

Charleston Catholic High School Miss Sarah Whiteside

Cross Lanes Christian School Mr. Ryan David Frampton

Elk Valley Christian Miss Amber Miller

Fair Haven Christian School Miss Katy Clendenin

George Washington High School Miss Sarah Elise Nunley

Herbert Hoover High School Mr. James White, III

Nitro High School Miss Jennifer Cooperrider

Riverside High School Miss Samantha Griffith

Saint Albans High School Miss Margaret Stonestreet

Sissonville High School Miss Jessica Ewers

South Charleston High School Miss Sarah Bowen

Twin City Christian Academy Miss Katrina Vance

Lewis County
Lewis County High School Mr. Jared Lee

Lincoln County
Lincoln County High School Miss Alexis Caldwell

Logan County
Beth Haven Christian School Miss Sarah Adkins

Chapmanville High School Mr. Ethan Cory Allen Adkins

Logan Senior High School Miss Kelsey Pierce

Man High School Miss Ashley Vanover

Marion County
East Fairmont High School Mr. Anthony Yost

Fairmont Senior High School Mr. Nathan DePriest

Marshall County
Bishop Donahue High School Mr. Trent Krupica

Cameron High School Mr. Sean Eagan

John Marshall High School Mr. Jesse Delbert

Mason County
Christ Academy Miss Delilah Ferrell

Hannan High School Mr. Lance Perry

Point Pleasant High School Mr. Andrew Marcum

Wahama High School Mr. Brigham Ash

McDowell County
Big Creek High School Miss Kimberly D. Matney

Iaeger High School Mr. Dennis R. Lester

Mount View High School Miss Emily Miller

Mercer County
Bluefield High School Mr. Brian Filer

Montcalm High School Miss Vanessa Austin

Pikeview High School Mr. Paul Randel Feidtkou Redden

Princeton Senior High School Mr. Shawn Wellman

Mineral County
Frankfort High School Miss Brannon Wray

Keyser High School Miss Danielle Fink

Mingo County
Burch High School Miss Erin Newsome

Gilbert High School Mr. Dustin Blankenship

Matewan High School Miss Amber Dillon

Omega Christian Academy Mr. William Carrico

Regional Christian School Miss Latisha Dillon

Tug Valley High School Miss Heather Hall

Williamson High School Mr. Louie Olive

Monongalia County
Clay-Battelle High School Mr. Jason Statler
Morgantown Christian Academy Miss Cheryl Bachar

The Lighthouse Christian Academy Miss Arwen Stewart

Trinity Christian School Miss Kaitlyn Titus

University High School Miss Breanna Danielle Marr

Monroe County
Ballard Christian School Miss Natasha Mutter

James Monroe High School Miss Holly Jackson

Morgan County
Paw Paw High School Mr. Timothy Holliday

Nicholas County
New Life Christian Academy Mr. Jordan Boone Hughes

Nicholas County High School Miss Anna Dorsey

Richwood High School Miss Marie Barrett

Ohio County
Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy Miss Emma Shalaway

Speiro Academy Mr. Ryan Duncan

The Linsly School Mr. Richard Tyler Hitt

Wheeling Central Catholic High School Miss Jordan Kahle

Wheeling Park High School Miss Claire E. Dolan

Pendleton County
Pendleton County High School Mr. Matthew Thompson

Pleasants County
Saint Marys High School Miss Erinn E. Honus

Pocahontas County
Pocahontas County High School Miss Sarah Catherine Wilkins

Preston County
Integrity Christian School Miss Katelyn Matlick

Preston High School Mr. Nathaniel P. Snyder

Putnam County
Buffalo High School Miss Jessica Torres

Calvary Baptist Academy Mr. Joshua Tucker

Hurricane High School Miss Kristine Ann Bybee-Finley

Poca High School Mr. Rex D. Persinger

Truth and Liberty Christian School Miss Charity Hage

Winfield High School Miss Mary Hanks

Raleigh County
Greater Beckley Christian School Miss Amy Cole

House of Prayer Christian School Miss Marcina Cales

Independence High School Mr. Matthew Goddard

Liberty High School Miss Logan Ellis

Mabscott Christian Academy Miss April Hart

Mountain State University Academy Miss Cynthia Bou-Abboud

Shady Spring High School Miss Corianne Carver

Teel Education Center Mr. David Blankenship

Victory Baptist Academy Miss Sara Light

Woodrow Wilson High School Miss Lea Bridi

Randolph County
Elkins High School Miss Mija Khan

Harman High School Mr. Kermit Bennett

Pickens School Mr. Immanuel N. Biggs

Tygarts Valley High School Miss Caitlin Harris

Ritchie County
Ritchie County High School Miss Shannon Kerns

Roane County
Roane County High School Mr. Christopher Snyder

Summers County
Pipestem Christian Academy Mr. Houston Peyton

Summers County High School Mr. Frankie Bennett

Taylor County
Alldredge Academy Mr. Donald Sowards, III

Grafton High School Miss Kristin Duncan

Tucker County
Tucker County High School Miss Emily Shaffer

Tyler County
Tyler Consolidated High School Mr. Steven R. Kennedy

Upshur County
Buckhannon - Upshur High School Miss Wendy Day

Wayne County
Spring Valley High School Mr. Derrick McCoy

Tolsia High School Miss Alisha Browning

Wayne High School Miss Niki Rowe

Webster County
Webster County High School Miss Meganne Robinson

Wetzel County
Hundred High School Miss Tiffany Williams

Magnolia High School Mr. Nicholas S. Baxter

Paden City High School Miss Emily Ward

Valley High School Miss Amanda M. Shaver

Wirt County
Wirt County High School Miss Tabitha N. Knicely

Wood County
Parkersburg Catholic High School Mr. Seth Ullman

Parkersburg Christian School Mr. Aaron Scott Palmer

Parkersburg High School Mr. Mark Christopher Politz

Parkersburg South High School Mr. Steven Rhodes

Williamstown High School Mr. Brandon Baylor

Wood County Christian School Mr. Benjamin Byler

Wyoming County
Turkey Ridge Independent Baptist Church Miss Haleigh Jo Meadow

Westside High School Miss Lauren Linn

Wyoming County East High School Miss Rebecca Mitchem