George Washington High School Wins $10,000 AARP Legacy Award

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In celebration of AARP’s 50th Anniversary, and to recognize outstanding educational achievements, AARP presented George Washington High School in Charleston with the $10,000 Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award.

The award presentation came on February 22, the 276th birthday of the school’s namesake, George Washington, the nation’s first president. The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award is named for AARP’s founder, who was a public school teacher and principal.

“Dr. Andrus said, ‘It has been wisely said that whatever many may say about the future, it is ours, not only that it may happen to us, but it is in part made by us,’” said AARP West Virginia State Director Frank Bellinetti. AARP has nearly 317,000 members in West Virginia and more than 39 million members nationwide.

Bellinetti, 63, told the 1,100 students at the assembly in the school gymnasium, “To you students, you are the future. I know it’s difficult to imagine, but one day you will be old enough to be members of AARP, and the quality of life you have when you are my age is truly up to you.”
 
George Washington is one of 59 public high schools throughout the nation that are winners of The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards. AARP has donated more than $1 million to support educational programs that have demonstrated a commitment to connect generations and foster greater civic engagement among students and their communities.
 
“Dr. Andrus was a champion for all generations who believed, as we do today, that the generations are connected by a strong commitment to values, community and service,” said AARP CEO Bill Novelli. “These awards not only pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Andrus, but also underscore our continued intergenerational commitment to recognize and encourage educational achievements in communities throughout the nation. Congratulations to all of the winning schools.”

George Washington, an Advanced Placement Magnet School, was selected as a Legacy Award winner for innovative and creative strategies to increase enrollment in its advanced placement program. The program resulted in a 97 percent increase in the number of students receiving college credit for advanced placement tests at the school.

Public high schools in all U.S. states and territories were eligible to compete for $10,000 awards honoring innovative programs. In total, AARP received nearly 1,000 applications from public schools throughout the nation—17 from West Virginia—and granted an Innovation Award to one public high school in every U.S. state including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. In addition, public high schools in cities designated as focal points of AARP’s 50th anniversary celebrations were eligible to compete for the $100,000 awards.

Officials participating in the celebration at George Washington included:
 -Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito
 -GWHS Student Body President Mitchell Kawash
 -GWHS Principal Nancy Alexander
 -State School Superintendent Steve Paine and members of West Virginia State Board of Education
 -Kanawha County Superintendent Ron Duerring and members of the Kanawha County Board of Education
 -Kanawha County Legislators
 -AARP State President Ruth Wagner
 -AARP State Director Frank Bellinetti
 -Scott Cosco, representing Gov. Joe Manchin
 -Rod Blackstone, Assistant Mayor, City of Charleston

Prior to founding AARP, Dr. Andrus achieved broad recognition as a creative and forward thinking public high school educator in the state of California. Dr. Andrus was the first woman appointed to lead a public secondary high school in California and in that position developed and implemented a variety of innovative programs that served the interest of her students and the local community. It is in recognition of her achievements that AARP offers the Legacy Awards as part of its 50th Anniversary celebration.

AARP’s 50th Anniversary, “Generations Connecting for Change,” is a year-long, national celebration that highlights the Association’s foundation of leadership and service to others by uniting the generations and building a better future.