Alumni

KHuffman

Kristy Huffman is a 1999 graduate of George Washington High School. She also attended Valley Grove Elementary and Roosevelt Junior High. After graduation Kristy received a medical degree. She now works as a Board Certified Anesthesiologist for West Broad Anesthesia - Huffman Anesthesia LLC.

When asked about how KCS prepared her for life after graduation, Kristy said “GW taught me how to be an independent and advanced learner in my adult life, which prepared me for medical school and board exams.”Kristy also has some advice for current students, “Study hard and plan for the future. There will be failure for everyone in some shape or form but continue to persevere. Good things come to those who wait and work hard.”

She continued, “If you don’t attend regularly, you miss out on core concepts taught during class and the opportunity to ask questions while learning a topic for the very first time. Asking questions will help solidify complex topics, especially in math and science. Attendance also makes you accountable and prepares you for the real-world professional setting.”

Kristy finished by saying, “My love of science came out of GW, especially from Mr. Steve Huffman (biology) and Joanna Holmes (chemistry). This helped pitch the dream (and soon-to-be reality) of me becoming a physician. Also, huge support came from our principal Mr. Lohan. He believed that GW students and alumni would be the brightest kids in WV and make an impression after moving on to college and beyond with their strong base of skills and concepts that were learned on The Hill."

MNelson

Mary Ann Nelson is a 1996 graduate of George Washington High School. She also attended Weberwood Elementary and John Adams Jr. High School. After graduation she received a bachelor’s degree in flute performance and music education from Ohio State University. She also holds a master’s degree in flute performance from WVU. Mary Ann currently works as the chorus/general music teacher at John Adams Middle School.

When asked about her professional accomplishments, Mary Ann said “I am an Adjunct Flute Professor WV State and freelance flute player for the Huntington Symphony and surrounding area. I have been a private flute instructor since 2002. I have had an average of 2-3 of my private flute students selected each year to be in the WV All State Band since 2002. The majority of these 40 or so students were KCS students, however, some were from surrounding counties.”

When asked about how KCS prepared her for life after graduation, Mary Ann said “My band directors, Kevin Lilly (JA) and Blaine Hess (GW), fostered my love of music and provided me opportunities to excel and pursue many extra musical opportunities.”

Mary Ann also has some advice for current students, “It’s never too late to learn a new skill.” She continued, “Regular attendance at school is necessary for academic success. Attendance is also very beneficial in regards to making social connections with classmates. Students who miss too much school fall behind and get very frustrated and often give up while they are trying to catch up. There is no way for a student to learn content if they are not in the classroom each and every day.”

Mary Ann finished by saying, “Teaching runs in my family. It is a calling that I feel very passionate about. My mom is the principal at Weberwood, my sister teaches at Alum Creek, my dad was the band director at Hoover years ago, my aunt retired from Flinn as a kindergarten teacher, and my other Aunt retired from the State Board of Education after 50 years of service. Teaching may not be the most glorious job, and it is definitely not the easiest job out there, but there are so many things about it that are rewarding and make it worth it.”

 

LRubin

Leslie Rubin is a 2004 graduate of George Washington High School. She also attended Overbrook Elementary and John Adams Jr. High School. After graduation she received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism (Broadcast News) with a minor in Communication Studies from West Virginia University. Leslie currently works as the Assistant News Director at WCHS-TV in Charleston.

When asked about her professional accomplishments, Leslie said “I have been working at WCHS-TV since 2010. I worked for nearly 8 years as a reporter here before being promoted to Assistant News Director in 2018. I'm still a reporter at heart and continue to report and investigate stories while managing the newsroom. I also served as interim news director for about seven months last year while in the middle of the pandemic and rapidly changing news landscape.

“I'm a West Virginia girl, born and raised and cherish the fact that I get to report the news in my hometown of Charleston. I'm a graduate of George Washington High School and earned my bachelor's degree at West Virginia University, majoring in broadcast news. I graduated magna cum laude in 2008 and quickly got my foot in the door at WDTV in Bridgeport.

“At WDTV, I worked as a one-man-band reporter for a little more than two years. That means I researched, shot, wrote, edited, and presented my stories live, by myself. It was there I was able to learn and grow as a reporter and understand what is important to our state and her people. From one West Virginian to another, I truly care about what's going on in our backyard. It's my backyard too. I have no plans of leaving this great state and I want it to be the best it can be for my family and my three children.

“While in Clarksburg, I reported many unforgettable stories including the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in 2010. For a week, the satellite engineer and I lived out of the news car. I saw firsthand the grace and compassion that comes from my home state and consider UBB to be the most impacting event of my career. I was privileged to be able to tell their stories. For years, I closely covered the events following the disaster including the high-profile trial of former CEO Don Blankenship.

“Since joining the Eyewitness News team, I've been honored many times for my work, including seven EMMY nominations and more than two dozen Associated Press and West Virginia Broadcasters Association awards. In 2013, I was nominated for an EMMY for the "In-Vest Initiative." Since In-Vest was launched in November 2012 following the murders of two state troopers in Clay County, great strides have been made in making sure West Virginia law enforcement officers are as protected on the job as possible. With support from viewers and backed by the West Virginia Sheriffs' Association, we were able to shine a light on an issue many never knew existed. It is now state law that all deputy sheriffs be provided bulletproof vests. I consider In-Vest one of my greatest accomplishments but there is still work to be done. I hope to one day see a law that protects all law enforcement in the state.

“I hosted the Fugitive Files for nearly 10 years before hanging up the popular weekly series to focus on cold cases. I wanted to bring more of an emphasis to crime victims and their stories instead of the criminals themselves. Fugitive Files was recognized many times for its community service.

“I currently serve as Vice President of the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters group where I have served as a board member for many years. I also recently was elected a board member to the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Arts of Sciences. I take great pride in mentoring young journalists to be the best storytellers they can be while still honing my skills as an investigative journalist and community storyteller.”

When asked about how KCS prepared her for life after graduation, Leslie said “I went to GW, so we were able to have a schedule that gave us great freedom in our days. We were also allowed to leave school during the day for "off-campus" privileges. I really think this helped me learn to manage my time and freedom while still having to stay focused on school and getting good grades. It gave very good insight into how life as a college student would be. Beyond that though, I was blessed with great teachers, counselors and administrators who did everything they could to ensure we were prepared for the future.”

Leslie also has some advice for current students, “Enjoy it. It may seem like your work is never going to end but it will, and you will miss these days terribly. What I wouldn't give to have another day in the QSA at GW with my best friends. Also, don't be afraid or worried if you haven't figured out what your next step is or what you want to be. It took me a while, too. Follow your gut.”

She continued, “Good attendance is imperative to academic success. Missing out on little things in class that you may feel aren't necessary actually really are. Being on time and having good attendance is a foundation for success, not only in school, but life after school. It reflects on you as a person, and your commitment to being the best version of yourself you can be. Showing up is half the battle.”

Leslie finished by saying, “I wouldn't trade my days in KCS for anything. From Overbrook Outdoor Classroom at Camp Virgil Tate to John Adams Junior High school homecoming games and GW Senior Skip Day, they are memories that will last a lifetime. I still have my three best friends from elementary school beside me. I love being able to tell people that.”