Members of the American Legion Post 25 in Washington C.H. recently held a dinner to recognize the young women and men from Fayette County who took part in Buckeye Boys and Buckeye Girls State.
Also on hand on the evening of July 6 were three of the six winners of the Americanism and Government test.
The information about those who attended Buckeye Girls State and Buckeye Boys State appeared in the July 15 edition of the Record-Herald.
Out of all of the young people who took the Americanism and Government test, (roughly 300) there were six winners from each school.
From Fayette Christian School: Jackson Walker, Emily Barker, Luke Wright, Ryleigh Tooill, Walker Hill and Allison Barker.
From Miami Trace High School: Jayden Brown, Deanna Page, Wyatt Hicks, Mackenzie Long, Blake Steele and Katherine Hynes.
From Washington High School: Ryan Elrich, Allison Clay, Reece Self, Emma McMurray, Logan Miller and Tamia Hardin.
Ed Helt, a member of local Post 25 and chairman of the Americanism and Government program, was at the podium following the meal to introduce and talk a bit about the Americanism test winners.
He provided some background information on the test.
The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary Americanism and Government Program is conducted in Ohio by all participating Posts.
It consists of a 50 question test created by the Ohio Department of the American Legion, located in Delaware, Ohio. The test is open to all 10th, 11th and 12th grade students and is conducted annually in certified schools.
The test comprises the following subjects: United States and the State of Ohio flags; the Constitution of the United States; the Declaration of Independence; Federal Government; County Government; City Government; School Board Government and one essay question.
In Fayette County, American Legion Post 25 and Auxiliary sponsor the program in Washington, Miami Trace and Fayette Christian high schools.
One boy and one girl in each grade are declared school winners and receive certificates of achievement. In addition, they receive an American Legion lapel pin, a ball-point pen from the Fayette County Veterans Commission and gift certificates for McDonald’s Restaurants from owner Nick Epifano.
The six highest-scoring students of the 18 school winners are declared County winners and receive an additional certificate of achievement, as well as an increase in the McDonald’s gift card.
The single highest scoring student is recognized as the overall County winner.
The six County winners are then sent on for additional judging in the American Legion’s 7th District.
Six students with the highest scores are declared winners and are submitted to the Ohio Department where a total of 18 students are chosen as State winners and receive an all-expenses paid trip to Gettysburg, Pa. and Washington D.C. The trip consists of a five-day supervised visit to many points of interest, including places not accessible to the general public.
Fayette County was awarded all six positions as the District 7 winners.
“Last year I had one State winner,” Helt said. “Over the years I’ve had a State winner and a District winner, here and there.”
State winners were Emily Barker, Ryleigh Tooill and Walker Hill of Fayette Christian School and Katherine Hynes of Miami Trace
District winners this year were Luke Wright of Fayette Christian School and Ryan Elrich of Washington High School.
“I didn’t imagine something like that happening,” Helt said, referring to the four State winners and two District winners.
Another high note of the local students’ accomplishments is that the 11th grade winner from Fayette Christian School, Ryleigh Tooill, had a perfect 100 percent grade on her test. This is an achievement not previously recorded by any one student in the Ohio 7th District, Helt explained.
Helt concluded his remarks by thanking the following: officers of Post 25 and Auxiliary, past and present; Lisa Hoppes of Washington High School; Ann Boerger of Miami Trace High School; Carol Pontious of Fayette Christian School; the Veterans Service Office; McDonald’s of Fayette County and Jamestown owner Nick Epifano and Elaine Stahlsworth, Past Commissioner of Post 25 program assistant.
