CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH) and the West Virginia America 250 Commission held student creativity contests to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Point Pleasant and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. The contests were open to students in grade k-12.
Students entered contests in the following categories, including Coloring Sheet Contest for kindergarten – second grade, with the theme: cabin at Tu-Endie-Wei State Park; Drawing Contest for third – fifth grade, with the theme: the difference between settlements throughout the Point Pleasant area as related to the Battle of Point Pleasant; and Essay Writing Contest for ninth – twelfth grade, with the theme: Should the Battle of Point Pleasant be considered the first battle of the American Revolution? Why or why not? The contest winners were announced on Thursday, Oct. 10, during a conference held by the WVDACH in Huntington surrounding the anniversary of the Battle of Point Pleasant. The prize money given to the art contest winners will go to their schools to purchase art supplies. The prize money for the essay contest will be distributed to both the winners and their school’s debate program.
The contest winners were:
Coloring Sheet Contest
Kindergarten – Second Grade
1st Place – $300 to school
Nolan Shinaberry, Green Bank Elementary Middle School, Pocahontas County, First Grade
2nd Place – $200 to school
Paisley Blake, Point Pleasant Primary School, Mason County, Second Grade
3rd Place – $100 to school
Aria Baldwin, Green Bank Elementary Middle School, Pocahontas County, First Grade
Drawing Contest
Third – Fifth Grade
1st Place – $200 to school
Allie Casto, Leon Elementary School, Mason County, Fifth Grade
2nd Place – $100 to school
Elijah Thaxton, Leon Elementary School, Mason County, Fifth Grade
Essay Contest
Ava Norman, $1,000, Wheeling Park High School, Ohio County, Eleventh Grade, “Fighting for Freedom,” (arguing that Battle of Point Pleasant was not the first battle of the Revolution)
Cameron Fullerton, $1,000, Wheeling Park High School, Ohio County, Twelfth Grade, “Sowing the Seeds of War,” (arguing that Battle of Point Pleasant was the first battle of the Revolution)
*Wheeling Park High School receives $1,000 for debate program
