Community Bulletin
A run of power outages across central West Virginia in recent months has homeowners weighing backup options. Crites Electric, a Buckhannon Generac dealer of more than 45 years, installs automatic standby generators that restore power within seconds — no cords, no switches. Read more →
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Buckhannon-Upshur High School graduate Sarah Gompers will receive a $5,000 scholarship as she studies landscape architecture at West Virginia University.
“My goal is to work for my family or an in-state architecture or engineering firm. I hope to use my education to draw people into the state and appreciate what we have to offer in our smaller communities. I look forward to pursuing a career where I can give back to the communities I’ve grown up in for all of these years, and continue to learn on the way,” Gompers said in a release from the West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association.
The association’s Marcus W. Rennix scholarship program is awarding $25,000 in all to five WVU students, including Gompers, a junior. The board approved the five $5,000 awards at its fall quarterly meeting.
Association President Robert Gompers, owner of Highland Landscaping in Buckhannon, said in the release that the five recipients will be honored at the Winter Symposium February 18, 2027, in Charleston.
Josie Armstrong, a South Harrison High School graduate from Lost Creek, is a junior studying landscape architecture. She also is pursuing a multidisciplinary studies degree, with minors in design thinking, sustainable design and arboriculture.
Clara Bradford, a Washington High School graduate from Charles Town, is a senior studying landscape architecture and multidisciplinary studies, with minors in sustainable trail development, sustainable design and painting. She said in the release that she plans to work with urban landscapes after graduation.
Kiara Palavis, a Weir High School graduate from Weirton, is a senior studying landscape architecture.
“I had the opportunity to collaborate with WVU Extension, my peers, and professors in building a bridge between the gaps of my home state. Designing and engaging with different communities over the state opened my eyes in a new way,” Palavis said in the release.
Kiersten Smith, an Oak Hill High School graduate, is a junior studying horticulture and environmental soil water science.
“I have a strong desire to work in a horticulture related position where I can use my education and hands-on experience to contribute to sustainable plant production, environmental conservation, and the horticulture industry,” Smith said in the release.
Sarah Gompers and Smith previously received the association’s George W. Longenecker scholarship for incoming freshmen. As My Buckhannon reported in May 2024, those awards provided tuition reimbursement for four semesters.
Association Executive Director Julie Robinson said in the release that the scholarships give priority to West Virginia residents, including those attending college outside the state.
Applications for the Rennix scholarship are accepted throughout the year through the association’s website. Eligible fields are horticulture, landscape architecture and nursery and greenhouse management. Robinson said applicants must be West Virginia residents, have completed half the required coursework in ornamental horticulture or landscape architecture and have a grade point average of at least 2.5.
