Grafton High School wins $50,000 via I Got Vaxxed competition

GRAFTON, W.Va (WDTV) - Governor Jim Justice visited Grafton High School Friday announcing that students and staff won the I Got Vaxxed Competition.

A total of 12 schools with the largest percentage of eligible vaccinated staff and students have been awarded $50,000.

Principal Lori Shumaker is couldn’t be more excited for her students.

“The reality is that the last couple years has been difficult because we have had to eliminate a lot of field trips, a lot of opportunities, and experiences for them so the fact that our community, our health department, board of education, and our parents,” said Lori Shumaker.

The $50,000 is to be used for any activities or initiatives that will improve the student experience.

Shumaker knows exactly what she’ll put it toward.

Principal: “And now with the money that we won, the $50,000, it’s going to give us an opportunity to take our kids and travel some and give them some experiences back that maybe they lost so I’m just ecstatic,” said Lori Shumaker.

She says the number of staff and students vaccinated at the high school was a staggering 97%.

“I think just the fact that that many people felt that it was something that they wanted to do,” said Lori Shumaker.

After the West Virginia Department of Education initially launched the program offering prizes of $25,000 for winning schools Governor Justice supplemented the competition’s funding, increasing the prize award to $50,000 to further incentivize schools to participate.

“$50,000 for us that is to be used just for students for what we think is best for them...doesn’t happen all the time,” said Lori Shumaker,’ said Lori Shumaker.

A total of 77 public and private schools entered the competition.

Grafton high was the 11th to win.

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