Paw Paw High School named American College Application Campaign School of Excellence winner

Paw Paw High School in Paw Paw, West Virginia, has been selected as a recipient of ACT's American College Application Campaign (ACAC) School of Excellence Award for 2025, recognizing the school's outstanding commitment to helping students pursue postsecondary education and training opportunities. ACAC is a national effort to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families pursuing a college degree or other higher education credential.

Schools from across the nation are selected for this award based on their demonstrated commitment to student success and for serving as exemplary models for their state's college application campaign. Collaborators from all fifty states and the District of Columbia submit School of Excellence Award recommendations to ACAC.

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission works with ACAC to host College Application and Exploration Week (CAEW), a statewide campaign that encourages students to explore postsecondary opportunities, apply to colleges, and file the FAFSA. Participation in CAEW-along with student success data-helps inform West Virginia's recommendations for the School of Excellence Award.

Located in a small rural community along the Potomac River in the Eastern Panhandle, Paw Paw High School serves as one of the few remaining schools in West Virginia that supports students from preschool through senior high. Guided by a commitment to "every child, every day," the staff of Paw Paw High School has strengthened a college- and career-readiness culture through consistent participation in evidence-based programs and initiatives that support student success. The school's progress includes a 100 percent graduation rate, continued improvement in college- and career-going outcomes, and sustained engagement in statewide milestones and student supports.

Students across grade levels have participated in activities such as college campus visits, CAEW, College Decision Day, FAFSA information and completion events, visits to local technical institutions, and engagement with Morgan County Partnership Youth Leadership Academy. Paw Paw High School is also one of the first schools to earn the distinction of Champion of College Access and Success-an initiative through College for West Virginia (CFWV) that recognizes schools based key milestones, including CAEW, FAFSA completion, and participation in College Decision Day. Paw Paw High School is on track to become a Champion School again for the 2025-2026 school year.

"Paw Paw High School's success is an example of what can happen when a school's college-going culture and dedication to future success radiates through every aspect of their environment," said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia's Chancellor for Higher Education. "Their accomplishments do not come by accident, but by incredible and intentional efforts from school staff, families, community members, and the students themselves. The culture that they have established will benefit these students for a lifetime."

Paw Paw High School's unique Pre-K-12 structure helps create a long-term, intentional approach to college and career readiness - introducing early exposure in elementary grades and building through a progression of middle school career exploration coursework and hands-on opportunities in career and technical education. These experiences help normalize postsecondary planning conversations and ensure students see college and workforce pathways as attainable.

For more information on the ACAC School of Excellence Award and to see a list of this year's other winners, visit the ACAC website.