Alexa Davis, a senior at Buckhannon-Upshur High Schools, holds a children’s literature book she wrote for Pre-K students focusing on a child who is hard of hearing. She said the child’s father wants to get the son’s hearing fixed, but in the end the father learns his son is not different from anyone else. Upshur County Board of Education President Dr. Tammy Samples asked that copies of the book written by Alexa be placed in all Upshur County Pre-K Classrooms. The book is titled, ‘Perfectly Flawed.’

Upshur Schools doles out bevy of awards at recent meeting

TENNERTON – During each meeting of the Upshur County Board of Education, members are introduced to students, teachers, staff and volunteers who go ‘over and above’ to help make Upshur County Schools successful. The April 12 BOE meeting welcomed many new Upshur Stars. Read about them below (and above).

Buckhannon-Upshur High School teacher Delana Golden introduced local Education Rising students, a national organization that is student-led, with a goal is to recruit young men and women around the country to becoming teachers. Golden said currently at B-UHS she has 56 members, and out of the 56, 21 went to the state competition. Of the 21 state competitors, nine of them placed first or second. Golden said the nine competitors will be eligible to compete at the national competition in Washington, D.C. toward the end of June. Educators Rising students recognized include Roseline Shackleford, Elayna Propst, Caleb Ryan, Brandon Eskew, Alexa Davis, Angelica Black, Savanna Smith, Hannah Robinson, Kadie Daugherty, Kamri Ratliff and Jadyn Reed. Upshur County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus said she was trying to recruit the students as future teachers prior to the BOE meeting.
Christy Dean, Buckhannon-Upshur High School business instructor and advisor for the Future Business Leaders of America, said she had nine students who competed on the state level. That produced four winners, including FBLA President Jordan Brown, who placed first in cyber security and fourth in insurance and risk management. Dean said Makenzi Cutright placed third in health services administration during her first time competing. Two additional FBLA members who were competing for the first time captured wins: Ian Donnen, who placed second in business calculations, and Bryce Cayton, who placed fourth in organizational leadership. Dean said by being state qualifiers, each student will get to go to the National FBLA Competition at the end of June in Chicago.
Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School Principal Samanthat Leput and Assistant Principal George Haskins, as well as Upshur County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus, offer congratulations to eighth grade student Bryce Nguyen, who was the Upshur County Spelling Bee winner as well as the Regional Spelling Bee Winner. Bryce will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee which will be held in Washington, D.C. Bryce also is the winner for the Upshur County Math Field Day and the Regional Math Field Day winner and will be moving on to the W.Va. Math Field Day Competition. Bryce said he is studying his Greek and Latin roots and is glad to be representing Upshur County at the national level.
Paraprofessional Jessica Grose is the Upshur County Service Personnel of the Year. Grose is employed at Hodgesville Elementary School. Individual Upshur County Schools and departments each nominated their selection for Service Personnel of the Year, including Timothy Bean, Buckhannon Academy Elementary School; Heather Wright, French Creek Elementary School; Jessica Grose, Hodgesville Elementary School and Upshur County Service Personnel of the Year; Angie Starkey, Rock Cave Elementary School; Samantha Bennett, Tennerton Elementary School; Cecilia Stewart, Union Elementary School; Amy Kelley, Washington District Elementary School; James Stalnaker, Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School; Shelley Phillips, Buckhannon-Upshur High School; Rick Wentz, Upshur County Schools Transportation Department; and Connie Painter, Upshur County Schools Central Office. Service Personnel of the Year received congratulations from members of the Upshur County Board of Education, their principals, assistant principals and directors, and Upshur County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus.
Virginia Hicks, art instructor at Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, was named at the Upshur County Teacher of the Year. Each school in Upshur County has the opportunity to select a Teacher of the Year from their school and then a committee selects from those names to choose a winner of the Upshur County Teacher of the Year who will represent the county in the West Virginia Teacher of the Year contest. Members of the Upshur County Board of Education and Upshur County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus congratulate the individual winners of Teacher of the Year along with their principals, including Virginia Hicks, Buckhannon Academy Elementary School and Upshur County Teacher of the Year; Levi Bender, French Creek Elementary School; Taylor Tenney, Hodgesville Elementary School; Sheila Reynolds, Rock Cave Elementary School; Christy Gaudet, Tennerton Elementary School; Ellen Shepherd, Union Elementary School; Lisa Bennett, Washington District Elementary School; Kayce Wooten, Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School; and Jessica Snyder, Buckhannon-Upshur High School.

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Upshur County Courthouse

County approves $11.5-million-dollar budget, which includes several earmarked ARPA-funded projects

BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Commission’s budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year saw increases in the regional jail bill and increases to PEIA premiums, but commissioners were still able to provide 3 percent raises across elected officials’ departments. Upshur County […]

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Softball Lady Bucs roll Preston in three innings, 20-3

KINGWOOD – After getting just one hit and shutout in their opener against Lincoln on Monday, the Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Bucs had no offensive shortage against the Preston Knights in a 20-3 demolition Wednesday evening in Kingwood in Big 10 Conference […]

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Lady Buc netters tumble to regional foes Wheeling Park and University

BUCKHANNON – The Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Buc tennis team squared off against a pair of regional powerhouses on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday at the West Virginia Wesleyan courts, they lost a 6-1 decision to Wheeling Park then on Tuesday on […]

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Tennis Bucs drop regional outings to Wheeling Park and University

BUCKHANNON – Playing in one of the toughest regions in the state isn’t going to do Buckhannon-Upshur head tennis coach Jason Rock and his young Buccaneer any favors this year, and he and his squad had to face two of […]

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Baseball Bucs run past Preston in 16-6 victory

TENNERTON – The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball Buccaneers 10-runned their second opponent in as many days to start the season after downing the Preston Knights by a 16-6 score in five innings of action Tuesday evening at William E. Phillips Memorial Field. […]

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WVU researchers working to get people with hip pain moving

Although it’s well known that regular exercise can reduce musculoskeletal pain, some chronic pain sufferers avoid it hoping to minimize their symptoms. One West Virginia University researcher aims to change this behavior in people experiencing