Golden Horseshoe Day

As most of you know, we were informed that Kelley won the coveted Golden Horseshoe. On Friday, May 9, Kelley, Bill and I attended the Golden Horseshoe ceremony and reception at the state Capital. Governor Joe Manchin was the keynote speaker before each winner was inducted as a knight or lady into the Golden Horseshoe Society.

"Each year 221 eighth-grade students are honored for their knowledge of the state in a one-day ceremony held in Charleston. The Golden Horseshoe winners have outscored their classmates in school and county wide testing competitions and made top scores on a West Virginia Department of Education test which measures their grasp of West Virginia Studies. Students also write an essay focusing on some aspect of West Virginia current events. A minimum of two students from each county and one student from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind at Romney are selected for the award. The other 110 honorees are selected from the 55 counties based on each county's eighth-grade population.
While in Charleston to celebrate the Golden Horseshoe Day, the honorees are treated to a tour of the Capitol and Cultural Center and a luncheon held in their honor. The high point of the Golden Horseshoe Ceremony is the induction of the students into the Golden Horseshoe Society. The State Superintendent of Schools presides over the induction ceremony. Each student kneels and, with a tap of a sword on the shoulder, is dubbed either a Knight or Lady of the Golden Horseshoe Society. Each student is presented a Golden Horseshoe pin and the 70-year honor and tradition continues. "

Here is a link to the article and group picture in the paper-http://dailymail.com/Life/200805090055

We are very proud of Kelley!