APPLE GROVE, W.Va. (WVDN) – Nucor Steel West Virginia has opened voting for the second annual Ken Iverson Project steel sculpture competition.
Community members can vote once per day at nucor.com/westvirginia or woobox.com/yir7y6 through April 6.
“We’ll be working with technical judges, but we’ll also be counting community votes to determine the winner,” said Markee Schindler, manager of talent and community relations at Nucor West Virginia.
Students from Cabell County Career Technology Center won the inaugural contest in 2025.
The five sculptures this year come from teams representing Boone Career Technical Center, Lincoln County High School, Mason County Career Center, Putnam Career & Technical Center, and Roane-Jackson Technical Center.
Nucor gave the students a theme – “Hometown Pride” – and 500 pounds of steel with which they sculpted heavyweight creatures, buildings, and imaginative concepts that represent a mix of art, history, and craftsmanship. They had about four months to complete the pieces.
Named after Nucor founder Ken Iverson, the project honors his legacy of transforming Nucor into the largest and most diversified steel company in the United States. Nucor Steel West Virginia plans to begin commissioning its Apple Grove facility this year.
“These sculptures reflect West Virginia’s diverse and vibrant culture,” Schindler said. “We’re continually amazed at the creativity and talent we see firsthand throughout the Mountain State’s schools. This collaboration is about teamwork and pride, and we can’t wait for people to view these works of art and pick their favorites.”
