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WHEELING - Top academic students in Ohio County Schools are a little richer this summer after being honored as Stifel Award winners for 2026.
About 200 students in grades 5-12 collectively received more than $200,000 in prize money checks for their efforts courtesy of the late George E. Stifel and the Stifel Trust Fund, according to information provided by Ohio County Schools.
Stifel endowed the trust fund to encourage education in public schools, and awards are based on academic achievements both in the classroom and beyond - measures such as standardized testing data.
To qualify, a student must have a grade-point average of 3.5 or better, must be a resident of Ohio County, and must be a United States citizen to be eligible for the award.
The money received is not a scholarship but a gift as Stifel intended. The student is free to spend the money in any way they wish.
The fund is overseen by WesBanco, and annual awards are based on the interest the fund generates during the year.
George E. Stifel was born in Wheeling in 1849. He was the owner and operator of the Stifel Department Store in downtown Wheeling and held a long-standing belief in the betterment of the community, particularly through education. He was honored permanently in the city of Wheeling through his 1979 induction to the Wheeling Hall of Fame.
Those receiving awards this year are as follows:
Wheeling Park High School
Seniors: Christopher Alkhouri, Julia Dunaway, Madeline Bradshaw, Nathan Tyska, Brody Davis, Daniel Burns, Cash Givens, Brennan Wack, Lucelus Swartz, Bridget Zoeckler, Adam McCreary, Chloe Brammer, Heath Miller, Samuel Rockey, Shaday Hull-Dennis and Kylie Clemens.
Juniors: Alexei Zhao, Tristin Gonzalez, Audrey Kenamond, Asher Chao, Dominic Brown, Alicia Harvath, Margaret Poffenbarger, Lucrezia Santini, Eliana McCabe, Keira Regal, Wade Barbour, Jules Burke, Owen King, Rachel Lewis, Ivan Rodriguez and Brady Beihl.
Sophomores: Jude Veltri, Samuel Lewis, Evalynn Barki, Briele Dobson, Brooke Wharry, Mason Bishop, Finnegan Gilbert, Jaxson Updegraff, Brenna Tipton, Flannery Muscar, Olivia Wagner, Molly Bradshaw, Maria Faulstick, Nicholas Franke, Madison Knicely and Chris Balabin.
Freshmen: Peilin Yu, Thomas Dunkin, Della Jarrett, Caroline Wack, Jacoby Bates, Liam Donaghy, Seth Weidner, Hayden Gonzalez, Mollie Brammer, Adriana Moses, Zachary Larance, Rosalie Dobson, Leah Bunce, Julie Brammer, Klara Straight and Calvin Lucious.
Bridge Street Middle School
Grade 8: Kloe Nguyen, Abigail Lewis, Piper O’Connell, Castiel Young, Isaac Bentz, Kathryn Lewis and Mallory Connelly.
Grade 7: Cael Skrzypek, Molly Nguyen, Lily Stauver, Fiona Donaghy, Spencer Benedict, Rebecca Spielvogel and Bayleigh Jennings.
Grade 6: Logan Stewart, Devyn Kandis, Sophia Trabert, Lily Caprita, Jonah Anderson, Malia Greene and Harley Long.
Triadelphia Middle School
Grade 8: Hudson Bradshaw, Nicola Weyand, Lucy Murfin, Ethan Marsh, Jillian Mull, Austin Richardson and Jay Crutchfield.
Grade 7: Kamron Pettit, Violet Kettler, Jacob Whisler, Evelyn Walters, John Green, Jayden Johnson and Alex Dobbs.
Grade 6: Garrett Lowther, Levinia Dunkin, Theresa McGowan, Alden Brown, Elijah Wagner, Jacoby Doyle and Eleni Karnoupakis.
Warwood Middle School
Grade 8: Jaycee Campbell, Kaileann Swartz, Mason Donaldson, Ava Pearl, Kolton Rogerson, Brooke Criswell and Derek Finley.
Grade 7: Sophia White, Elijah Mehl, Ezekiel Mehl, Jonah Meadows, Josie Miller, Miabella Rene and Azalyn Davis.
Grade 6: Oliver Dann, Jaiden Rodgers, James Campbell, Paige Geisel, Na’Ziya McGhee and Zeus Kuprowicz.
Wheeling Middle School
Grade 8: Ava Dominguez, Olivia Diehl, Arden Mowder, Julia Cronin, Tegan Berisford, Penelope Mohring and Gary Bowman Jr.
Grade 7: Olivia Timberlake, Abigail Lucas, River Cha, Mya Waldrum, Harry “Charlie” Chalfant, Emily Sutton and Kayden Thomas.
Grade 6: Snow Randolph-Nelson, Kate Cronin, Tomas Durham, Haniya Aftab, Naviah Dean, Michael Davis and Avah Smith.
Bethlehem Elementary School
Grade 5: Bryce Kempkens, Emma Trabert, Zachary Timberlake, Grace Delbert, Colin Bell, Lincoln Brown and Evan Ross.
Elm Grove Elementary School
Grade 5: Everly Deaton, Audrey Purpura, Claire Connelly, Alaska Hercules, Alexzander Cuskey, Sawyer Hardman and Ryer Hull.
Madison Elementary School
Grade 5: Ashtynn Ryder, Patrick Milliken, Harper Carroll, Richard Edgell, Jace McWhorter, Daryl Ellsworth Jr. and Ahmiere Walker.
Middle Creek Elementary School
Grade 5: Rayden Jiang, Racen Crow, Anna Jenkins, Nathan Nguyen, Avanna Pownall, Camden Kovalski and Chloe Brown.
Ritchie Elementary School
Grade 5: Izabella Watkins, Jaxxen Walters, Jackson O’Connell, Liam Iams, Bentley Myers, Bobby Elder and Paislee Niehaus.
Steenrod Elementary School
Grade 5: Ethan Hatcher, Rachel Scott, Bailey Gilbert, Koda Nizami, Brody Hengler, Maverick Pauley and Carson Kidd.
Warwood Elementary School
Grade 5: Jack Opyoke, Cole Brown, Carson Miller, William Vani, Kierstyn Wood, Kenzie Kasunic and Kendall Mortis.
West Liberty Elementary School
Grade 5: Everett Hopkins, Miles Frye, Camryn Young, Julianna Farrow, Emilia Simms, Jakob Leach and Charley Armstrong.
Woodsdale Elementary School
Grade 5: Xin Zhao, Elizabeth Nickolas, Cade Atkinson, Alina Nguyen, Abigayle Helms, Brecken Robinson and Desiree Paul.
This paragraph format is much more newspaper-friendly, saves considerable space in print and online, and aligns with AP-style presentation for honor rolls and award recipient lists.