High Points of the Valley (Graphic Illustration)

* North Star Child Advocacy Center had a chance last week to show the West Virginia First Foundation the potential impact of a grant it had awarded. In showing Foundation Executive Director Jonathan Board around its facility, North Star representatives also got to learn more about the impression they’ve made. “North Star got the largest award,” Board said, adding that many of the people who helped make the decisions about awarding grants were in agreement that North Star “was the one.” Those in Wood, Wirt, Pleasants, Ritchie and Calhoun counties who work with North Star already knew how important the center is for our region’s most vulnerable children. But such acknowledgment is encouraging. Keep up the good work, folks.

* Meanwhile, the 26th Very Spectacular Arts Festival presented by Artsbridge was held at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, with more than 300 students with developmental differences from Wood, Jackson, Pleasants, Doddridge and Washington counties taking part in a full day of activities. Artsbridge staff, teachers, volunteers and all those who helped make the day interesting and fun for these very spectacular kids have earned a huge “thank you.”

* With 260 high school, middle school and elementary school students from across the state participating in the 2025 West Virginia Science and Engineering Fair earlier this month, it is impressive that 21 students from our own region placed in the competition. Given the range of projects presented — “We Eat Nails for Breakfast” and “Battle of the Bots” were certainly eye-catching — it is good to see how far and wide our students are thinking. Congratulations to those who performed so well.