Byrd Center Welcomes West Virginia Social Studies Students

By Jody Brumage

JaLeah Heatwole, Keyara Heatwole, and Tren Crane with Byrd Center Archivist, Jody Brumage

The Byrd Center recently welcomed three students from Hampshire County, West Virginia who have chosen to study Senator Robert C. Byrd for their West Virginia State Social Studies Fair project. After touring the Byrd Center and learning about the operation of an archive, the students discussed their  ideas and worked with our archivist to select records to be used in their project. Focusing on the separation of powers and Congress’ role in controlling the power of the purse, the students decided to focus on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senator Byrd served on the Appropriations Committee for over 50 years, chairing the committee from 1989-1995, 2001-2003, and 2007-2009. During his years on the committee, Senator Byrd successfully appropriated more than $10 billion for the state of West Virginia, aiding in infrastructure improvements, building the tourism industry, strengthening its educational institutions, and supporting its job market. The students and their teacher decided to focus their presentation on a large map of Senator Byrd’s projects ranging from 1989-2009, a great illustration of the impact of the appropriations process on the state of West Virginia. They will also be using photographs and staff reports documenting many of the projects projects Senator Byrd supported and the process of winning their approval.
The West Virginia Social Studies Fair brings students together from across the state and allows them to demonstrate their knowledge and creativity. Students submit projects in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, State and Local Studies, U.S. History, and World History/International Studies. After competing at their local schools, students advance to regional and state level competitions.
We are excited to be a part of this important initiative in social studies education and wish JaLeah, Keyara, and Tren the best as they further develop their project on Senator Byrd!