Pictured from left: WV Delegate Charles Sheedy Sr. (R - Marshall), WV State Senator Laura Wakim Chapman (R – Ohio), WV State Senator Ryan Weld (R - Brooke), Cameron High School Head Principal Wyatt O’Neil, WV Secretary of State Kris Warner and Cameron High School Social Studies Department Chair/History teacher Jake Zirkle.

WV Secretary of State Presents the Jennings Randolph Award to CHS

MCS News

September 17, 2026

Six individuals standing on stage, one holding a certificate, with two men in suits, two women in formal attire, and two men in casual clothing.

West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner made a stop at Cameron High School today to present the school with the prestigious Jennings Randolph Award for Civic Engagement.

CHS Head Principal Wyatt O'Neil and CHS Social Studies Department Chair and History, Political Science and Psychology teacher Jake Zirkle accepted the honor on behalf of the Cameron Dragons.

The Award is presented to any public or private high school in West Virginia that registers at least 85% of its eligible seniors to vote. Students who graduated from Cameron High School in May 2026 earned the Gold Award by achieving a 100% voter registration rate among eligible seniors.

A group of people gathered in an auditorium setting, with a speaker at a podium addressing the audience.

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 spent nearly three decades advocating for passage of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The amendment was ratified in 1971.

During the award ceremony, Secretary Warner spoke with juniors and seniors about Senator Randolph, civic duty, and the importance of voting to our democracy. Students were able to ask questions.

Following the presentation, Marshall County Clerk Connie Howard assisted eligible juniors and seniors register to vote. All qualified seniors registered to vote during the school’s voter registration drive. Many students even signed up to work at polling locations in Marshall County on Election Day in November.

A large auditorium with rows of folding chairs. At the front of the room, a stage with a podium and several people seated. The room appears to be set up for a public event or presentation.