CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – West Virginia First Lady Cathy Justice and the West Virginia Department of Education are hosting an art contest for students in the Mountain State to design a new knighting bench for the Golden Horseshoe Knighting Ceremony.

The First Lady’s office says the contest is open to all 9th – 12th grade public school, private school and homeschooled students in West Virginia. She says the idea to give students an opportunity to design a new knighting bench came from last year’s contest to create a new knighting sword for the ceremony.

“The response was so tremendous for the sword design contest that we were inspired to create a new knighting bench,” First Lady Justice said. “Both of these items will be used for many years to come, and I can’t wait to see the innovative designs that come out of this contest.”

Justice’s office says eligible students can submit their artwork, design and production plans online here and more information on the contest is available online here. The deadline for entries to be submitted is Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

According to the First Lady, the top five finalists for the contest will be announced by March 1. Justice says the finalists will partner with a West Virginia Career and Technical Education Center to “bring their designs to life.” Those designs will then be submitted to a panel of judges.

The overall winner of the contest will be chosen by May 1, 2023, and the winner’s design will be used as the new knighting bench for the ceremony to name the top 8th Grade West Virginia History students as Knights of the Golden Horseshoe.