On Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, Preston County Schools sent 37 students to the WV State Social Studies Fair in Charleston, representing 26 total projects. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) event hosted 566 students from across the state, the largest student participation since the Fair began in 1977. Students from Grades 3-12 represented 44 counties and presented 357 projects. Of those 357 projects, Preston County represented 26 of those, 7%, with 18 of our projects and 26 students placing (5%). Preston County Schools would like to thank Mrs. Debbie Zigray, a slew of volunteers, the parents, and all the amazing students that were well-deserved in receiving these accolades. Those winners were:
First place: Derek Edmunds and Tyler Street, Emery Dornacker, Laurel Shaffer, and Iris Nelson
Second Place: Alison Schmidle and Wyatt Braham, Alyssa Friend, Carter Garbart and Olivia Kelly, Emma Goodrich, Jude Squires and Harry Cale, Lilah Kelly, Sylviana Bittinger, and Vada Walsh
Third Place: Carter Bolyard and Payton Wagner, Cooper Kelly, Kara Reynolds and Hailey Hunt
Honorable Mention: Landry Davis, Lillian Crane and Oakley Gilley, Remington Wolfe and Isaiah Nelson
