WHEELING — “The Eagle” statue has sat for more than a decade out front of Wheeling Park High School, and its intended purpose is to provide a tribute to alumni who served in the military.

Its flat sides were supposed to show the engraved names of the former WPHS students turned soldiers, but school leaders were never certain how they would go about obtaining the needed information.

Times have now changed, and social media might just provide a tool, said current Ohio County Board of Education member Erik Schramm. He was a board member when the monument was erected “way back when.”

“On all four sides, there are empty spaces,” he said. “What we had hoped to do is put the names of alumni who have served — not just the deceased ones — on the statue so that they were recognized for their service.

As an example, Schramm noted Walt Saunders, the current director of federal programs for Ohio County Schools who is both a WPHS alumnus and an Air Force veteran.

Saunders’ name would be on the monument, alongside the year he graduated and his military affiliation, Schramm explained.

Word of the project can go out on social media making the mission a little easier, Schramm said.

“It’s a different world now, and there really wasn’t a way to do that 10 years ago,” Schramm said.

There is room for names on all four sides of the monument, but Schramm isn’t certain how many in total will fit.

“Hopefully, we have more names than we have room,” he continued. “That would be pretty cool.”

Superintendent Kim MIller has been tasked with coming up with a plan to gather the names, and this will be discussed at the next board of education meeting set for 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Elm Grove.

Miller says her plan likely will involve the use of social media.

“It’s a great way to honor those who served in the military and finish a project started years ago that has value to our system,” she said.