Charleston, W.Va. – WV Secretary of State Kris Warner recently hosted three student leaders from Oak Glen High School (OGHS) in Hancock County as special guests at the State Capitol on February 24, 2026.
Ella Paras, Danica Holden, and Maddox McKay, all members of OGHS’s Class of 2026, were recommended by their school principal, Frank Crain, to represent OGHS as Honorary Secretaries of State. This recognition reflects Ella, Danica, and Maddox's leadership in organizing a student-led effort to register members of the senior class to vote.
While visiting Secretary Warner at the State Capitol, the three students were also recognized by the WV Legislature.
Nominations for a student to be recognized as an Honorary Secretary of State are accepted only from a West Virginia high school that qualifies for the Jennings Randolph Award. To earn this prestigious distinction, a West Virginia high school must host a student-led voter registration drive that successfully registers at least 85% of its eligible student body to vote.
Started by the WV Secretary of State's Office in 1994, the Jennings Randolph Award for Civic Engagement commemorates West Virginia's late U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph’s legacy as the Father of the 26th Amendment. One of our nation's defining moments in voting rights history, the 26th Amendment was passed in 1971. The Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, an effort Senator Randolph had first championed 29 years earlier while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Since Secretary Warner took office in January 2025, more than 17,500 eligible high school students have been registered to vote.
Early voting for the May 12 Primary Election begins on Wednesday, April 29 and runs through Saturday, May 9.
