The YWCA Wheeling is proud to announce the continuation of our Project on Racism Contest, formerly known as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest. The event consists of an essay contest, a music/song contest, & a Five Minute Film contest. 

The Project on Racism Contest still honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., while encouraging students’ creativity through essay writing, musical expression, and film. The YWCA Wheeling is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. We believe that due to the current adjustments that had to be made with schools and school systems during the pandemic, this contest should be able to fit into curriculums quite nicely.

Attached is a packet explaining more in detail.

 The 2022 Project on Racism Contest will be based on the following quote from Dr. King

“ The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” -Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

 Students are invited to submit their entries on or before November 15th, 2021.  The winning entries will be recognized by the Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs (HHOMA) and the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission, if gathering is permitted and able to be done safely. We hope you will consider incorporating our contest into your fall projects & curriculum. Thank you in advance for your participation, patience, and consideration.

Should you have any questions, please contact the program director:

Ron Scott Jr. |  Program Director

Cultural Diversity & Community Outreach

T 304.232.0511  F 304.232.0513

E cdcodirector@ywcawheeling.org

W ywcawheeling.org

The Golden Horseshoe Society

Resources for Golden Horseshoe

WV Culture resources 
https://wvculture.org/learn/daily-history/

https://wvculture.org/learn/wv-history-quizzes/

Golden Horseshoe Prep

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/sesquicentennial/sesquicentennial.html

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/archives/history.html

West Virginia State Museum
http://wvstatemuseumed.wv.gov/index.html

https://wvstatemuseumed.wv.gov/for%20students%20and%20educators.html

Upcoming Dates

Golden Horseshoe Information

December 1, 2021 – February 11, 2022	Counties and schools may register private and home-school students for access to the multiple choice online Golden Horseshoe test.
January 5, 2022	Deadline for requesting a braille test.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022	Golden Horseshoe Written Essay Test is given state-wide.
Friday, February 11, 2022	Deadline for Golden Horseshoe written essay tests to be scanned and emailed to the WVDE.
February 15-18 and February 22-24, 2022	Golden Horseshoe Online Multiple Choice Test window. If attached schedule conflicts with an event or program already scheduled in your county, please notify me as soon as possible.
June TBA Golden Horseshoe Ceremony

About the WV Golden Horseshoe Award One of the highlights of the eighth-grade year is the opportunity for a student to become a Knight or Lady of the Golden Horseshoe. This prestigious program takes its name from the golden horseshoes given to the early explorers of West Virginia. In 1716 the Governor of the Virginia colony, Alexander Spotswood, saw the need for exploration of the land west of the Allegheny Mountains, most of which is now West Virginia. The governor organized a party of about 50 men, all of whom adopted the pledge, “Sic jurat transcendere monte,” which means “Thus he swears to cross the mountains.” Governor Spotswood presented each member of his party with a small golden horseshoe to commemorate the bravery of those who crossed the mountains into Western Virginia, beginning the Golden Horseshoe tradition.This historical tradition was revitalized in the late 1920’s. To promote the study of state history, the idea of forming West Virginia Clubs was proposed by Phil M. Conley, an editor of The West Virginia Review. In late 1929, Mr. Conley took his idea to State Superintendent of Free Schools William C. Cook. Superintendent Cook believed that the State Department of Education should take the lead in promoting a comprehensive study of the state. He proposed expanding Conley’s idea by honoring the highest-achieving students with a state award. In 1930 some 2,736 clubs were organized with more than 48,000 students as members. In the first Golden Horseshoe ceremony, held in 1931, 87 students from 46 counties were honored as Knights and Ladies of the Golden Horseshoe. The Golden Horseshoe became known as a symbol of scholastic achievement to honor students who excel in the study of West Virginia. Since that time approximately 15,000 eighth-grade students have received a golden pin in the shape of a horseshoe, much like those given by Governor Spotswood some three hundred years ago. This pin symbolizes the student’s knowledge and understanding of their state’s proud heritage.The program of studies in combination with state awards is unique in its statewide recognition of scholastic achievement. Each year approximately 22,000 eighth grade students spend the school year studying a comprehensive West Virginia curriculum. The curriculum engages the students in the intense study of the history, geography, economy and government of the Mountain State. The primary goal of the program is to promote pride in our state, develop intellectual and participatory skills as well as foster attitudes that are necessary for students to participate as effective, involved, and responsible citizens. The State Department of Education, in effect, uses the Golden Horseshoe award to honor “all-state” West Virginia Studies students. Each year 221 eighth-grade students are honored for their knowledge of the state in a one-day ceremony held in Charleston. The Golden Horseshoe winners have outscored their classmates in school and county wide testing competitions and made top scores on a West Virginia Department of Education test which measures their grasp of West Virginia Studies. Students also write an essay focusing on some aspect of West Virginia current events. A minimum of two students from each county and one student from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind at Romney are selected for the award. The other 110 honorees are selected from the 55 counties based on each county’s eighth-grade population.

While in Charleston to celebrate the Golden Horseshoe Day, the honorees are treated to a tour of the Capitol and Cultural Center and a luncheon held in their honor. The high point of the Golden Horseshoe Ceremony is the induction of the students into the Golden Horseshoe Society. The State Superintendent of Schools presides over the induction ceremony. Each student kneels and, with a tap of a sword on the shoulder, is dubbed either a Knight or Lady of the Golden Horseshoe Society. Each student is presented a Golden Horseshoe pin and the 70-year honor and tradition continues. Facts About the WV Golden Horseshoe Award The Golden Horseshoe originated in the early 1700s in colonial Virginia when then- Governor Alexander Spotswood saw the need for exploration of the land west of the Allegheny Mountains, most of which is now West Virginia. The governor organized a party of about 50 men to explore the frontier. At the end of the exploration, he presented each member of the party with a golden horseshoe. Translated from Latin, the inscription on each horseshoe read, “Thus it was decided to cross the mountains.” On the other side was written,”Order of the Golden Horseshoe.” Because of this, the recipients became known as “The Knights of the Golden Horseshoe.” The Golden Horseshoe is probably the most coveted award bestowed upon West Virginia students each year. During the induction ceremony, students kneel and the State Superintendent, using an antique sword, dubs students as “ladies” or “knights” of the Golden Horseshoe. The Golden Horseshoe Test has been administered in West Virginia since 1931 and is the longest-running program of its kind in any state.Two hundred twenty-one West Virginia eighth graders receive the award each year. The two top-scoring students from each county are given the award (total of 110), as are another 110 students selected throughout the state based on population. In addition, the top-scoring student from the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind is presented the award.Recipients during the past seven decades include citizens from all walks of life, state Supreme Court justices, legislators, attorneys, business leaders and educators. In conversations with Department of Education officials, West Virginia native Homer Hickam indicated that his one regret was not winning the Golden Horseshoe award as a student. The author of “October Sky” was presented an honorary Golden Horseshoe award in 1999 because of all the positive reinforcement he has given the state.Have you Lost Your Golden Horseshoe Pin?

Students who are inducted in to the prestigious society receive what some call one of the most treasured pieces of memorabilia of their school days, the Golden Horseshoe pin. These pins are awarded to eighth grade students who achieve the highest scores on the Golden Horseshoe test in their county. Realizing that some recipients have lost their pins over the years, the WVDE can help replace them. Anyone who has lost his/her pin can download a form that can be sent in to order a replacement pin. Request a New Pin Form (Word Format) Please verify your information and Year as we have it in our database.

Public School Students Public school students do not need to be registered. To access the tests students will need a username and password for the WebTop. If students do not have the login information, it may be obtained through your building principal and/or county technology specialist. Your county technology specialist can provide you with a new or simplified login if you need one. Once correctly completed private/homeschool registrations have been received by the WVDE Office of Secondary Learning, credentials are generated and sent to the schools. It takes about a week to a week-and-a-half to get the students enrolled.Home-School StudentsHome-school students will need to be registered to take the test. The registration form can only be completed by a teacher, counselor, or school/county administrator where the student would normally have attended public school. Once the student has been enrolled, we will e-mail the person who submitted the registration with the student’s information and instructions. The process should take no more than one week. If it does, please send an email to Dustin Lambert, dllambert@k12.wv.us.  NOTE: Home-school students are required to go the school that they would normally have attended to take the Essay Test and the Online Golden Horseshoe Test Private School Students Private schools may participate as long as they have a school code and complete the registration form. The school code and county code can be obtained from the Master School Code website at http://jo.my/countyschoolcode, by selecting the county the school is located in and then scrolling through the list of schools.  NOTE: Private schools must take the essay test and online Golden Horseshoe test on the same day as the rest of the county. Private schools should notify the county Golden Horseshoe County Contact that they are participating so that information can be distributed to the school. If a private school does not have a school code, one can be obtained by contacting the Office of Information Systems at 304-558-8869. Golden Horseshoe Registration Form Essay Test – February 8, 2022 The essay test is not required and if a student chooses not to complete the essay it does NOT disqualify them from taking the online Golden Horseshoe Test. The essay test is used to break a tie between scores for the online test.

The essay test is scheduled for February 8, 2022. One week prior to the test, we will e- mail the essay question to the Golden Horseshoe County Contact.We only accept scanned submissions of Golden Horseshoe essays by the county contact. Please collect all essays from schools and scan them into individual PDF files by SCHOOL NAME. We are no longer accepting mailed copies of the essays.The essay test CAN be administered by the regular WV studies teacher in a regular 40-45 minute class period. The teacher/test administrator will be asked to complete a confidentiality agreement and an absentee roster. The absentee roster should include students who are absent on the day of the essay test and any student who chooses NOT to take the essay test. Online Test – February 15-18 and February 22-24, 2022 Please reference the schedule below of testing dates. Each county is assigned a specific date. February 15, Tuesday: Brooke, Hancock, Ohio, Wetzel, Putnam February 16, Wednesday: Barbour, Boone, Cabell, Doddridge, Hardy, Harrison, Monongalia, Nicholas, Pendleton, Ritchie, Tucker February 17, Thursday: Berkeley, Braxton, Gilmer, Grant, Marshall, Morgan, Taylor, Tyler, Wayne February 18, Friday: Clay, Hampshire, McDowell, Mineral, WVSD/B, Wyoming  February 22, Tuesday: Greenbrier, Lewis, Mason, Mercer, Mingo, Preston, Summers, Webster, Wirt, Wood February 23, Wednesday: Jefferson, Kanawha, Monroe, Roane, Fayette, Lincoln February 24, Thursday: Calhoun, Logan, Marion, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Randolph, Upshur, JacksonPublic school students access the testing platform via their WebTop. Home and private- school students will have an external link to access the practice and online tests.Essay Test Forms: AbsenteeRoster.pdf, Essay Test Confidentiality Agreement The online test is a 50 multiple choice question test that can be completed in 40-45minutes. Test proctor/Moderator The test proctor/moderator/administrator MUST NOT be the regular classroom teacher for the online Golden Horseshoe Test. The test will be turned on at 7 AM each morning and off at 3:45 PM each afternoon.The test is timed by the proctors/moderators and students should be allowed 40-45 minutes to take the test. The test will NOT shut the test down after 40-45 minutes. If a student has an IEP that requires classroom accommodations, please provide those accommodations. For example, if a student requires extra time, please give that student extra time. If a student requires someone to read to them, please arrange for someone to read the test to the student The regular WV Studies teacher may NOT administer the Online Golden Horseshoe Test to the students.  The WVDE requires an online confidentiality agreement stating that the test administrator is NOT the regular WV Studies teacher and will keep all information regarding the Golden Horseshoe test confidential. This confidentiality agreement must be signed 3 days prior to the county’s scheduled test day.Internet Usage Tips on Test DayWe suggest that you ask all other computer users to refrain from downloading or tying up the broadband. If there is an internet slow down, please allow the students enough time to make the test fair. If a student is kicked off the Internet, just have them log back in. As long as the student has not submitted the test, he/she can reenter the testAfter the testing is complete, all absentee rosters will need to be e-mailed/faxed to the WVDE Office of Middle/Secondary Learning. We will check to make sure that the county’s winners are not on the absentee list before declaring them actual winners.Online Test FormsPlease email your roster and confidentiality agreements to Dustin Lambert. The number of winners is determined by population, but every county is given a minimum of two winners. The larger the population, the larger the number of winners. The Golden Horseshoe test is a competition within a county NOT within the state. We do not have average scores for the state or counties.

Nominating Honorees Each year, it is customary to honor selected educators or individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to West Virginia, West Virginia Studies and/or Golden Horseshoe program by naming them as Honorary Knights or Ladies of the Golden Horseshoe. An individual is nominated by the county superintendent only. Each county superintendent may nominate only one person per year. Only 10 persons a year may receive the award. In the event more than 10 nominations are received, a committee will review all nominations and select the ten most deserving nominees. To nominate an individual, please complete the online form in the information above for a Golden Horseshoe Online Honorary

Dustin Lambert, Coordinator (dllambert@k12.wv.us) Office of Middle/Secondary Learning

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Building 6 Room 221, Charleston, WV 25305
Phone: 304-558-5325
FAX: 304-558-1834