(School Money - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

PARKERSBURG — Three high school students from the region are among the 20 chosen from around the state as Bucklew Scholars at West Virginia University.

They are Ava Gorrell of Tyler Consolidated High School, Tyler Watson of Roane County High School and Gracelyn Fellure of Ravenswood High School.

Each year, 20 high school seniors in West Virginia are awarded the Bucklew Scholarship, named after Neil S. Bucklew, a president of the university, as they enter college in their freshman years. Recipients of the scholarship qualify for the WVU Foundation Scholarship, the college’s highest academic scholarship.

Gorrell, an all-state musician on bassoon, wants to major in biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering. She plans a career focused on manufacturing more sustainable prosthetics.

Fellure will major in agriculture and extension education and wants to start her career as an agricultural teacher. She is active in FFA and 4-H.

Watson, an aspiring veterinarian, will major in animal and nutritional sciences major and minor in business. Watson, who lives on a farm and handles show cattle, wants to help fill the shortage of large and small animal vets in rural areas.

Bucklew was the 21st president of WVU. The value of the scholarship is $60,000, $15,000 a year over four years to be used toward educational costs and can be used with the state’s PROMISE Scholarship.

Other Bucklew Scholars are Paige Fox from Pikeview High School, Emily Garrett from Braxton County High School, Zoey Hoffman from Buffalo High School, Gabriel Watson from Morgantown High School, Sophia Frame from Charleston Catholic High School, Luke Tiu from Wheeling Central Catholic High School, Ashton Fulton from Lincoln High School, Samantha Ogden from Jefferson High School, Grace Robertson-Villamagna from Wheeling Park High School, Noah Galvin from Martinsburg High School, Madelynn Jackson from Morgantown High School, David Hegele from Shady Spring High School, Hunter Tabler from Spring Mills High School, Jacqueline Melia from Morgantown High School, Kaitlyn Speakman from Washington High School, Julianna Ferrell from Morgantown High School and Farhan Shaik from George Washington High School.