Sen. Manchin speaks to PCHS juniors and seniors | The Inter-Mountain

“You are an elite class in the world today with more opportunities that anyone else. You are the luckiest young people on earth; I hope you take advantage of it,” Manchin said.

Manchin emphasized education and nonuse of opiates.

He discussed his ability to make appointments to the service academies which could provide a great education as part of the great institutions in the world.

“After you graduate, you can write your ticket as to what you want to do, and you have a lifetime job,”Manchin noted.

He said the Promise scholarship program, which pays college tuition, was capped, but still funded for students with the grades and SAT scores to qualify. He urged all the students to get financial advice before borrowing funds to get any higher education.

“Push yourselves more to see and be surprised at what you can achieve! …The rest of my life depends on you all — you’re going to do something great!” he added.

He warned against ever trying an opiate. “It’s one of the silent killers and is a number one cause of death in West Virginia,” Manchin said.

Manchin’s stop in Franklin to chat with students was part of a three-day sweep of eastern part of the state with other stops in Harts, Elkins, Roanoke and Green Bank to discuss current issues of importance to community and business leaders.

After the students went back to class, Manchin assured Pendleton County Commissioner Gene McConnell and state Delegate Isaac Sponaugle he continued to work to find a suitable tenant for the former Sugar Grove Navy Base. Possibly the federal and state governments should have another chance at the base.

“I’m trying to get the Veterans Administration to look at the base as a facility to treat PTSD to help these wounded warriors get back into the mainstream of American life. The base would also be perfect as a drug rehabilitation facility which West Virginia does not currently have. I haven’t given up yet!” he stated.