Glenville State College President Dr. Peter Barr has announced the names of the Hidden Promise Scholars for Lewis County. Barr and his wife, Betsy, visited the Lewis County Board of Education meeting on June 9th to promote the college’s program. After introducing the participants to board members, the Barrs also hosted a reception for the students who have been selected to participate in the program. The students and their families learned more about the program from Dr. Barr and participated in a question and answer session. The students also received their GSC ID cards and t-shirts.

Gilmer County High School students who have been selected as GSC Hidden Promise Scholars are: seniors Kasey Gum, Andy Darby, Rebecca Johnson, Tiffany Johnson, and Jessica Moore; juniors Cassandra Crist, Samantha Rogers, Brett Ann Hensil, Cierra Pinkston, and Adam Bosley; sophomores Stephenee Gandee, Sara Linger, Danielle Ocheltree, Travis Nesbitt, and Tessa Golden; freshmen Vera Shackleford, Sean Minney, Sha’ Lisa Linn, Leslie Hutter, and Charles Krafft, Jr.; and eighth graders Samantha Hughes, Meridith Anderson, Victoria Simons, Ashley Murray, and Madison Heather.

The Hidden Promise Scholars Program is the result of an agreement between thirteen central West Virginia counties and Glenville State College. It’s aimed at improving communications between higher education and K-12, increasing ACT scores, and increasing the number of college graduates in the area. Each county school system selects five students in grades eight through twelve to participate in the program. GSC will provide academic support including summer camps, electronic tutoring, and mentors to work with the Hidden Promise Scholars. Barr tells the students, “Our goal is to give each of you the tools and opportunities we can to help you become successful college students.”

There are currently thirteen Hidden Promise Scholars attending Glenville State College including GSC freshman Lisa Shamblin of Lewis County. About seventy-five high school seniors from the participating counties will be eligible to receive $1,000 Hidden Promise Scholar scholarships if they enroll at GSC in the fall. The scholarships can be renewable for each of the four years the students are at the school. For more information about the program, call (304) 462-4110.