| CHARLESTON, WV — This year’s winners of the First Lady Student Ornament Competition and the inaugural Best Bow Christmas Contest were announced over the weekend at the annual Joyful Night Celebration at the Capitol Complex. First Lady’s Student Ornament Competition The First Lady Student Ornament Competition is a holiday tradition that encourages students across the state to submit ornaments around a special theme. This year, the theme was “Nutcrackers,” with the winners displayed in the Great Hall of the Culture Center in Charleston, along with the other ornaments that were submitted. The First Lady Student Ornament Competition had over 280 entries, the most entries the competition has ever received. “I am thrilled by the number of students who participated in our Student Ornament Competition this year,” First Lady Justice said. “The Governor and I love seeing the ornaments that are sent in each year. I think everyone got excited about the Nutcracker theme, and the response was really great.” Each winning class will be awarded a $100 gift card to purchase art supplies. The winners of the four age groups are below: PK-2nd 1st Grade Class Misty Belcher, Teacher Mercer Christian Academy |
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| 3rd-5th 4th Grade/5th Grade Split Class Jill Maynard, Teacher Genoa Elementary School |
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| 6th-8th Special Education Class Crystal Huffman-Warner, Teacher Pendleton County Middle/High School |
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| 9th-12th3-way tie10th Grade Ceramic II Class Serenity McNeeley, Student Leslee Smith, Teacher Huntington High School |
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| Art II Class Gracie Skeens, Student Danielle Hunt, Teacher Nitro High School |
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| Theater and Engineering Class Tim James, Teacher Cabell Midland High School |
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Best Bow Christmas Contest The Best Bow Christmas Contest winners can also be seen on a special Christmas tree in the Great Hall of the Culture Center. “This year, I thought that it would be fun to do something different with a Christmas bow making competition,” First Lady Justice said. “We had so many lovely and unique entries that it was difficult to decide which one would take the prize. I thank everyone who participated and encourage everyone to come visit this beautiful tree.” Each winner will be awarded a gift card: 1st place – $300, 2nd place – $200, and 3rd place – $100. The winners of the contest are below: 1st Place Alica J. Williams Beckley, WV Raleigh County |
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| 2nd Place Lydia Scibek Milton, WV Cabell County |
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| 3rd Place Lee McQueen Bridgeport, WV Harrison County |
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