Ohio County Schools is seeking additional names of Wheeling Park High School alumni who are military veterans to be added to the monument outside the school. (File Photo)

WHEELING — More names will be added to the eagle statue and veterans monument outside Wheeling Park School.

The names of 193 Wheeling Park Patriot alumni who served in the military since the school opened in 1976 already have been engraved on the statue, and the public got to view the names during a ceremony last fall.

The plan for the project has always been that more names would be added in the future as more students choose to serve their country and the names of more past veterans are brought forward, according to Karin Butyn, public relations director for Ohio County Schools.

The initial project was made possible through a $17,500 state Local Development Assistance Grant secured by West Virginia Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke.

Weld has now secured a second grant for $22,000 to assist in the expansion of the monument, add the next round of names, and create a plan moving forward to continue name additions every few years, according to Butyn.

Ohio County Schools will release an updated website where the public can submit the names of WPHS alumni who have served. The website can be accessed at https://ocsstyleguide.my.canva.site/wphs-military-monument.

The website contains an original list of names on the monument, as well as a form to request a new name be added. Families seeking to add a name will need to ensure they double and triple check their spelling and have some form of verification to submit to the secure form. That verification can include a redacted DD214, a military ID, or a military leave and earnings statement.

That verification will be cross referenced with WPHS transcripts to ensure a minimal margin of error.

“Wheeling Park High School encourages the three ‘E’ pathways: Employment, Education, and Enlistment. Many students opt for enlistment for a variety of reasons, and this is one small way we can recognize our veterans and military members. They deserve a permanent spot of recognition in our schools,” Butyn added.