5/5/2009
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin today encouraged past winners of the annual West Virginia’s Golden Horseshoe contest to register and attend the upcoming West Virginia Golden Horseshoe Reunion on June 19, 2009. This event will feature various free events on the Capitol grounds, including tours of the newly renovated State Museum as well as an evening concert.
The deadline to register is Friday, May 15, 2009.
“The Golden Horseshoe reunion is a great way for our state to recognize the legacy of hundreds of outstanding West Virginia history students,” the governor said. “There is still time to register before the May 15th deadline. I encourage all past and current winners to bring their family and friends to this reunion, which showcases the importance of our state’s heritage, while also highlighting those who excelled in West Virginia history in the eighth grade.”
The day-long festivity is being coordinated through the Department of Education and the Arts in conjunction with its Division of Culture and History. The previous reunion in 1996 attracted more than 800 winners. Golden Horseshoe Winners may find out more information and register for the June 19 event by going to www.wv.gov/ghreunion or contacting the Department of Education and the Arts at 304-558-2440.
“We are thrilled to have one of our state’s great treasures, the Golden Horseshoe Society, congregating at the Capitol,” said Kay Goodwin, Secretary of Education and the Arts. “Our Golden Horseshoe alumni will be among the first to tour the updated State Museum and we look forward to their response.”
This reunion will mark the only the second time that past-winners have officially gathered on the Capitol grounds. Each year, thousands of eighth graders across the state take the Golden Horseshoe examination, with an annual induction of about 220 winners as Knights and Ladies of the prestigious Golden Horseshoe Society – a total of more than 15,000 students have been recipients since 1931.
To learn more about the history of the Golden Horseshoe award, please visit: http://wvde.state.wv.us/goldenhorseshoe/ .
Contact Information
Sara Payne Scarbro or Molly George
304-558-2000 or 304-558-2440