Amanda Dawson

Amanda Dawson, a junior at Tyler Consolidated High School, has been selected as a finalist, in line to receive a prestigious scholarship award from West Virginia Wesleyan College.

After completing several phases of eligibility, application and competition process, Dawson, the daughter of Bill and Christine Dawson of Sistersville, is now a finalist in the competition which could possibly net her the grand prize of a four year scholarship to Wesleyan, which includes tuition, room and board.

The first and second runners-up in the competition will receive scholarships of $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, in addition to merit scholarships, each of their four years.

Finalists for 2013 along with Dawson are: Kensey Bergadorf of Evans, WV; Ronald Beale, II of Scott Depot, WV; Rachel Fulks of Bridgeport, WV; Sarah Fizer of Martinsburg, WV; Nathan Machel of Scott Depot, WV; Johnna Akers of Shinnston, WV; Cayla Collett of Elkins, WV; Kathryn Robinson of Renick, WV; David Hannan of Saint Albans, WV; Jacob Smith of Arthurdale, WV; William Wasson of Martinsburg, WV; Dahlton Kittle of Bridgeport, WV; Cheyanne Conrath of Petersburg, WV; and David Maxwell of Buckhannon, WV.

This year’s finalists earned an average GPA of 3.97, an average ACT score of 26, and ranked from the top 1-20 percent of their respective classes. Many of the students participate in athletics and extracurricular activities.

Dawson, who has maintained a 4.667 GPA throughout her junior year and has been in the top fifteen percent of her class since 2007, participates in several clubs at Tyler Consolidated and is very community minded, dedicating herself to numerous community service projects in Tyler County and West Virginia.

The seventeen year old plans to major in Biology and minor in Spanish at college and go on to pursue a graduate degree by attending a Physician’s Assistant program.

The scholarship competition is open to high school juniors throughout West Virginia. Sponsors include MVB Bank, Brickstreet, Friends of Coal, West Virginia Education Association, West Virginia Forestry Association, and West Virginia Wesleyan College and Culpepper Wesleyan Scholar Award, and MetroNews.

Another part of this scholarship competition allows family, friends and community members to vote for a finalist online. The online voting allows one vote per email address.

For those wishing to cast their vote for a finalist, visit the West Virginia MetroNews website, at www.wvscholar.com.