TENNERTON – On Thursday, Upshur County Schools and Buckhannon-Upshur High School administrators announced that a Buckhannon-High School senior was selected as one of the Class of 2019’s 100 High School Students America Needs to Know About by Workforce Career Readiness.

Senior Jayme Lantz was selected for this honor – and is the only recipient in the State of West Virginia.

Jayme said she felt very honored to be selected for the award.

“Being the only student selected from West Virginia, I feel I am representing the state well,” Jayme said. “No one ever hears about the education in our state unless it is really bad. I feel this is a positive thing for the state.”

She said she wanted to thank her digital imaging teacher Sarah Wamsley.

“I want to thank her for the opportunity to do this,” Jayme said. “I would not have known that I like graphic design if I hadn’t taken her classes or been in her simulated workplace.”

Jayme said her first digital imaging class was required; however, once she delved deeper into the class, her love for the subject grew.

“Once I started getting more in-depth in the class, I really enjoyed what I was doing,” she said. “I found it interesting, and it was the class I enjoyed going to the most, so I took the higher classes my senior year.”

Jayme is the daughter of Clyde and Tricia Lantz of Buckhannon. She plays trumpet and is a member of the marching band, concert band and is a captain on the girls’ lacrosse team. Jayme attended Rhododendron Girls State and is the treasurer of the Youth Leadership Association.

B-UHS business teacher Sarah Wamsley nominated Jayme for the award. Wamsley said Jayme has worked hard to make the Simulated Workplace a great success this year.

“Jayme is part of our career and technical education program within the high school,” Wamsley said. “The reason I nominated Jayme is because I saw some prospect with her when she took the digital imaging class last year. This year, she has four of my classes and she will actually start an order – our classes are Simulated Workplaces – we create stuff for teachers throughout the school system. Jayme will stay after class and through her lunch to work on projects. She is a perfectionist, and she is the supervisor of the Simulated Workplace.”

Wamsley cited the reason she nominated Jayme for the honor.

“She has created various documents in the Digital Buccaneers Simulated Workplace,” Wamsley said. “She has created a menu that is being used at a new business opening in our community. Through this process, she was required to send professional emails and act like a designer, with her client being the owner of the business. Jayme communicates and creates in a very professional manner.’

Her instructor added, “Jayme has dedicated many hours of her personal time to create products that benefit a community business. She is a hard worker and has dedicated many hours of community service selling items for a Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser in which the school was able to raise $16,000.

“Jayme created some of the stickers that were sold, making a special pink ribbon picture and volunteered many hours through the Youth Leadership Club. Overall, Jayme is a hard-working student that dedicates hours of her personal time to better her school and community.”

Workforce Career Readiness said selected students are forward-thinking entrepreneurs, student teachers, activists, radio hosts, designers and so much more. They said some of the students have “beaten the odds” under difficult and extreme circumstances.

“These high school students are making their mark in industries ranging from agriculture to the nonprofit world. But most of all they are making a difference in their schools, communities and the lives of their peers,” they added.

Superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus said she is proud of Jayme.

“We are proud of Jayme Lantz, her family and all she has completed for our school, making the Simulated Workplace a success here at the high school,” Stankus said.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Debra Harrison echoed the pride Upshur County Schools has for Jayme.

“The work that Sarah Wamsley does is amazing,” Harrison said. “We really appreciate her and everything she does.”

Principal Eddie Vincent said Jayme is an amazing student.

“It is great to see her recognized for something,” Vincent said. “Our CTE and Mrs. Wamsley’s classes offer a great opportunity for kids and a really nice thing for our school and for her and her family.”

After graduation, Jayme plans to attend West Virginia University and pursue a degree in graphic design. She said her interest in graphic design came from a class she took as a junior called digital imaging where she learned the basics of Photohop, Illustrator and InDesign.