CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Twenty-six high school seniors who graduated this year have been selected as West Virginia’s seventh cohort of Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars. These students will receive up to $10,000 per year — or $40,000 total — for their college education as they prepare to pursue rewarding careers as West Virginia teachers.
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is a competitive scholarship for high school seniors and recent high school graduates with a passion for teaching and a history of high academic achievement, community service, and active involvement in extracurricular activities while in high school.
“This scholarship represents more than financial support — it represents a commitment to the future of West Virginia,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “These students have chosen a profession that changes lives, and we are proud to support their journey as future educators, mentors, and leaders in communities across our state.”
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is designed to help West Virginia address ongoing teacher shortages in the fields of math, science, special education, and elementary education. Recipients commit to teaching in one of these high-demand fields in West Virginia for at least five years after graduation. To give students the greatest chance at success, each is paired with a practicing classroom teacher mentor, who provides guidance throughout their college careers.
The 2026-27 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars beginning their studies in West Virginia this fall include from the Potomac Highlands:
Chloe D’Amico from East Hardy High School will be studying elementary education at Shepherd University.
Hannah Haines from Hampshire High School will be studying math at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
