Warner recognizes Spring Valley High School students as 'Honorary Secretaries of State' for their effort to register classmates to vote

Charleston, W.Va. – WV Secretary of State Kris Warner hosted two student leaders from Spring Valley High School (SVHS) in Wayne County as his honored guests at the State Capitol.

Macy Smith and Alexander Ringkamp, both members of the 2025 graduating class at SVHS, were recommended by their principal to represent their school as Honorary Secretaries of State for their efforts to register members of the senior class to vote. Nominations for Honorary Secretaries of State are only accepted by those high schools that qualify for the Jennings Randolph Award. To qualify for the Award, a West Virginia high school must host a student-led effort to register at least 85% of their eligible senior class to vote.

Secretary Warner said, "I am extremely proud of these students for their efforts in the voter registration process. Their work illustrates the importance of education, participation, and the power of young people in making a meaningful impact in our communities."

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 the 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 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In addition to a morning spent with Secretary Warner in his office and a tour of the State Capitol, Ringkamp and Smith were recognized on the House floor by one of their representatives, Delegate Michael Amos, for their service to the state and community.