By Betty Gandee

Voting is such an important privilege, and Clay County High School students have showed great interest in getting registered to vote so they can execute their constitutional right to voice their opinions.  On Tuesday, April 2, CCHS was recognized for the first time in history with the Jennings Randolph Award.

This award was founded in the honor of Senator Jennings Randolph as a way to encourage young people to get involved in the voting process. The Secretary of State’s office created this award to be given to high schools that have 100 percent of eligible students registered to vote.  Some exemptions may apply, for example, like students who choose not to register for religious beliefs. Students eligible to register to vote are either 18 years of age, or 17 years of age and will be 18 by the date of the next general election.

There are two levels of this award; gold, where 100 percent of the senior class registered to vote; and silver, where 85 percent of the senior class registered to vote.  With a gold ranking, the secretary of State’s office will personally present the school with a commemorative plaque and present the lead students with Student Ambassador certificates. With silver, the Secretary of State will mail Student Ambassador certificates to lead students.

Clay County high school is in the 10 percent of high schools chosen in the state of West Virginia for this award.  The school was awarded a Gold Level Award at a special ceremony on Tuesday by the Secretary of State.  Rielly Taylor, who visited the capital early last month as Honorary Secretary of State, was awarded with a Student Ambassador certificate.