Hurricane, W.Va. (Putnam County) – WV Secretary of State Kris Warner visited Calvary Baptist Academy on Wednesday to present the school with the prestigious Jennings Randolph Award for Civic Engagement. The Award is presented to any public or private high school in West Virginia that registers at least 85% of their eligible seniors to vote.
Putnam County Clerk Brian Wood, Delegate Sarah Drennan, Putnam County Commissioner Andy Skidmore, and Principal David Spencer joined Secretary Warner in the presentation.
The Jennings Randolph Award honors the late U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph who represented West Virginia in the United States Congress for more than 50 years. Senator Randolph worked for more than 29 years to get Congress to pass the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution that reduced the voting age from 21 to 18-years-old. The Amendment was ratified by the states in 1971.
To learn more about Jennings Randolph and the 26th Amendment, CLICK HERE.
This is the first time in school history Calvary Baptist Academy has received the Jennings Randolph Award.
“In our country, there is no great opportunity or responsibility than to be a registered voter-to be an informed citizen who is actively engaged in electing our local, state, and federal leaders. We are here today to recognize this outstanding achievement from Calvary Baptist Academy.” Secretary Warner told the students, faculty, and staff.
“I am proud to say that many of the seniors at Calvary Baptist Academy have joined the most powerful club in the world–you’ve become a registered American voter,” Secretary Warner continued.
Thanks to Senator Randolph and the 26th Amendment, West Virginia has a long history with giving young people the opportunity to serve in elected offices. In 2014, Saira Blair was an 18-year-old who had just graduated from Hedgesville High School in Berkeley County when she was elected to the WV House of Delegates – making her the youngest state legislator, of any state, in the history of the United States. In 2018, at the age of 19, Caleb Hanna of Webster County became the youngest black American to ever serve as a state legislator.
