Elkins High School's Skout Barger Named AARP WV/MetroNews Scholar Athlete of the Week

Skout Barger of Elkins High School has been selected as the AARP West Virginia/MetroNews Scholar Athlete of the Week for the week of November 1.

A senior, Skout is a 4.3 g.p.a. AP Honors student. She serves as Senior Class President and a Student Council representative, and is a National Honor Society member. Skout has also participated in the Hugh O’Brien Leadership (HOBY) Program and Rhododendron Girls State. She is the daughter of Shelton and Kenna Barger of Beverly.

Skout is a three-sport standout for the Tigers. She is a team captain and starting defender for Coach Scott Cutright’s Elkins soccer team, earning First Team All-State, All-Big Ten Conference, and Big Ten Conference Defender of the Year honors as a junior. Skout is also a three-time WVSSAC State Championship Meet qualifier with the Elkins swim team, earning All-Big Ten Conference honors in the pool as a junior. In track and field, she specializes in sprints and hurdles and was a WVSSAC State Track Championship qualifier as a sophomore in the Shuttle Hurdle relay.

On a community level, Skout is actively engaged in volunteer and service activities in Randolph County through Alliance Community Fellowship Church and her school. She serves as a Champion Volunteer with Remember Nhu, a faith-based organization that fights child sex abuse in Asia, Africa and South America. Skout has raised thousands of dollars for the organization through awareness, speaking engagements and a candle making business. As a result of her efforts, a Home of Refuge was built in northern Thailand that houses and supports 25 children ranging from ages 5 – 18.

Following graduation, Skout plans to pursue a Geology degree at Marietta College and hopes to continue her athletic career on the collegiate level. She plans to later pursue graduate degree work in Environmental Geosciences at West Virginia University.

During the 2015 Fall Sports season, one high school student athlete will be selected each week as the AARP West Virginia Scholar Athlete of the Week and recognized on the popular West Virginia MetroNews High School GameNight program, which airs 9:30 p.m. – midnight each Friday night on nearly 40 radio stations across the Mountain State .

West Virginia student athletes in Grades 11 and 12 with a minimum 3.0 grade point average are eligible for the award. Nominees should excel in one or more athletic program, and be active within their community through service and community involvement. Nomination forms may be completed online at http://wvmetronews.com/scholar-athlete-of-the-week.

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AARP WV Media Contact: Tom Hunter, 304.340.4605, tphunter@aarp.org