2026 WV ACTE Summer Conference

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

2W22 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

This session highlights how a rural West Virginia middle school program leverages community partnerships, state connections, and existing campus resources to embed innovation and entrepreneurship into student learning. Participants will explore practical, replicable strategies for building partnerships, designing student-driven projects, and transforming classroom assignments into real-world impact. Attendees will leave with a framework they can immediately implement in their own schools—regardless of size or funding.This session highlights how a rural West Virginia middle school program leverages community partnerships, state connections, and existing campus resources to embed innovation and entrepreneurship into student learning. Participants will explore practical, replicable strategies for building partnerships, designing student-driven projects, and transforming classroom assignments into real-world impact. Attendees will leave with a framework they can immediately implement in their own schools—regardless of size or funding.

Speakers

Jeremy Cantrell

CTE 7/Ag, Braxton County Middle School

Jeremy Cantrell is a West Virginia middle school educator and innovative program leader recognized for advancing environmental education and entrepreneurship in rural schools. A recipient of the 2026 WVDEP Environmental Teacher of the Year Award (6th-8th grade level) and honored with... Read More →

Alicia McPherson

CTE 8th, Braxton County Middle School

Mrs. McPherson is an 8th grade Career and Technical Education teacher whose collaborative leadership and forward-thinking mindset have helped expand innovation within the middle school program. Working alongside Jeremy, she has played a key role in designing hands-on, student-centered... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
2W22 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Best Practices, Middle School, Management & Entrepreneurship, Agriculture
global Y

10:00am EDT

From Classroom to Company: Building a Simulated Workplace That Develops Real-World Skills

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

Shawkey Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Simulated Workplace (SWP) transforms Career and Technical Education classrooms into authentic business environments where students develop both technical and professional skills aligned with industry expectations. This session will provide educators with practical strategies for implementing SWP structures that strengthen student engagement, accountability, and career readiness.
Participants will explore key components of a high-functioning simulated workplace including company structures, student leadership roles, workplace expectations, safety systems, and continuous improvement practices. Through hands-on activities and demonstrations of ready-to-use tools, participants will walk through the process of building a classroom workplace culture that mirrors industry standards.
Attendees will leave with practical templates, implementation strategies, and classroom structures that can be immediately adapted for their programs.

Speakers

James Coble

Coordinator, West Virginia Department of Education

James Coble is a Coordinator with the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education, supporting statewide programs in STEM, Manufacturing, Architecture & Construction, Transportation, Government & Public Administration, and Law & Public Safety. A former teacher... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
Shawkey Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Best Practices
global Y

10:00am EDT

Business & Industry Expo Booths Open

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:45pm EDT

Main Level Marshall Student Center @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

The Expo Hall will be open during designated conference times, providing opportunities for attendees to network with exhibitors, explore the latest products and services, and gain insights into industry trends impacting Career and Technical Education. Participants are encouraged to visit throughout the conference to build connections and gather resources to support student success.

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:45pm EDT
Main Level Marshall Student Center Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Expo

Area Best Practices

11:00am EDT

Building the Workforce Pipeline: A CTE Educator's Guide to NCCER

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00am - 11:20am EDT

Don Morris Room - Table 2 @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is one of the most recognized credentialing systems in the skilled trades industry. Yet for many CTE educators, it remains an untapped opportunity. This fast-paced 15-minute session gives West Virginia CTE educators a clear, practical overview of what NCCER is, what it offers, and why it matters for student outcomes and workforce readiness. Attendees will leave with a foundational understanding of the NCCER ecosystem and actionable next steps.

Speakers

Portia Naze

Specialist, Pearson Career Ready

Portia Naze brings a unique blend of classroom, administrative, and industry experience to the world of Career and Technical Education. A former teacher and school administrator, she has dedicated her career to supporting educators and building programs that meet the real needs of both teac... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00am - 11:20am EDT
Don Morris Room - Table 2 Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Supply Chain and Transportation, Construction, Best Practices
global Y

11:00am EDT

From Ideas to Action: Sparking Student Innovation

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

Shawkey Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

This session highlights how student-centered innovation, structured business partnerships, and authentic work-based learning experiences can strengthen student problem-solving, creativity, and career readiness. Participants will explore how Student Innovators and SparkWV integrate project-based learning, employability skills, CTSO alignment, and industry engagement into a cohesive pathway experience. Through real examples from West Virginia students and educators, participants will learn how students move from ideation to community-supported implementation.

This session will provide practical tools and replicable strategies that align with key elements of the ACTE High-Quality CTE Framework, including:
Engaging instruction and project-based learning
Business and community
Work-based learning
Student career development

Attendees will leave with implementation strategies to strengthen any programs of study while expanding student access, career-connected learning, and skill development.

Speakers

Kim Zirk

Program Manager, The EdVenture Group

Kim Zirk earned a Master’s in Secondary Education and a Bachelor’s in English from West Virginia University. With over a decade of experience spanning the K-16 continuum, she has worked extensively with youth, designing and implementing research-driven, differentiated curriculum... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Shawkey Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Management & Entrepreneurship, Best Practices
global Y

11:25am EDT

Building the Workforce Pipeline: A CTE Educator's Guide to NCCER

Monday August 3, 2026 11:25am - 11:45am EDT

Don Morris Room - Table 2 @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Portia Naze

Specialist, Pearson Career Ready

Monday August 3, 2026 11:25am - 11:45am EDT
Don Morris Room - Table 2 Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Supply Chain and Transportation, Construction, Best Practices

2:15pm EDT

Positioning West Virginia as a National Leader in Advanced Manufacturing Through CTE

Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 2:35pm EDT

Don Morris Room - Table 2 @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

West Virginia is uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of advanced manufacturing, driven by strategic investments, geographic advantage, and growing industry demand. This session explores how Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs across the state are aligning to meet that moment—equipping students with in-demand skills while building strong pipelines to local employers.

Attendees will gain insight into how the West Virginia Community and Technical College system and Department of Education are working in tandem to scale workforce-ready programs that support emerging technologies and modern manufacturing environments. Through real-world examples and project highlights, we’ll showcase how thoughtfully designed learning spaces, industry-aligned equipment, and hands-on training models are transforming classrooms into career launchpads.

Drawing on Amtek Company’s experience supporting CTE and workforce development initiatives, this presentation will highlight practical strategies for building flexible, future-ready labs that mirror today’s advanced manufacturing settings. From engineering and fabrication to automation and Industry 4.0 technologies, participants will leave with actionable ideas to strengthen their own programs and position their students—and their state—for long-term success.

Speakers

Gary Daniels

Consultant, Amtek Company

Gary Daniels helps universities, community colleges, technical schools and secondary schools incorporate skills-based training solutions and technologies into their curriculum and instruction so that they can provide students with the best education and opportunities possible as they... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 2:35pm EDT
Don Morris Room - Table 2 Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Advanced Manufacturing, Best Practices
global Y

2:15pm EDT

Beyond the Classroom: Connecting Students to Real Careers Through Industry Partnerships

Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT

2W22 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Students can’t pursue careers they’ve never seen. Yet too often, career awareness comes too late or not at all.

In this engaging session, discover how to bring real-world skills and career exposure into your CTE programs through intentional industry partnerships and hands-on learning. Learn how to break down silos, connect programs, and create experiences that reflect real workforce expectations.

Leave with practical strategies to immediately strengthen your program, expand your network, and better prepare students for the future of their work.

Speakers

Justin Hensley

National Engagement Director, Project Lead The Way

With over a decade of experience supporting Career and Technical Education (CTE) classrooms, STEM educators, and school administrators, Justin is a dedicated advocate for innovative, hands-on learning. Currently serving as a National Engagement Director at Project Lead The Way (PLTW... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
2W22 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Best Practices
global Y

2:15pm EDT

Seeing Your Program Through Student Eyes: Building Ownership in the Simulated Workplace

Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT

Shawkey Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Simulated workplaces create powerful opportunities for students to build real-world skills, but how students experience those environments can vary in ways we don’t always see.
In this interactive session, participants will learn a design thinking approach for exploring their program from the student perspective. Through guided examples and practical tools, educators will learn how to uncover how students experience their program, surface insights about voice and ownership, and better understand how learning environments are perceived by students.
Participants will leave with a clear, adaptable process they can use to elevate student voice, strengthen buy-in, and deepen ownership of learning within simulated workplace settings and beyond.
This approach is applicable across grade levels and roles, offering teachers, counselors, and administrators a practical way to gather meaningful student insight and use it to inform program design and improvement.
This session focuses on seeing more clearly first, so that changes are developed with students and grounded in their experiences.

Speakers

Elizabeth Crawford

Outreach Programs Specialist, June Harless Center at Marshall University

Elizabeth Crawford serves as Outreach Programs Specialist at the June Harless Center for Rural Educational Research and Development. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood, and a Master of Arts in School Counseling, both from... Read More →

Jason Gibbs

STEAM & Innovation Specialist, June Harless Center at Marshall University

As STEAM & Innovation Specialist at Marshall University’s June Harless Center for Rural Educational Research and Development, Jason Gibbs designs and delivers professional learning that strengthens STEAM capacity and cultivates cultures of inquiry, innovation, and problem-solving... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
Shawkey Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Best Practices
global Y

2:40pm EDT

Positioning West Virginia as a National Leader in Advanced Manufacturing Through CTE

Monday August 3, 2026 2:40pm - 3:00pm EDT

Don Morris Room - Table 2 @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Gary Daniels

Consultant, Amtek Company

Monday August 3, 2026 2:40pm - 3:00pm EDT
Don Morris Room - Table 2 Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Advanced Manufacturing, Best Practices

3:15pm EDT

Think Like Industry: Using Problem-Based Learning to Build Workforce Skills in CTE

Monday August 3, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT

2W22 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

In today’s workforce, employees are expected to collaborate, analyze problems, and develop solutions in team settings. This session will introduce CTE teachers to a structured approach for using problem-based learning to engage students in solving authentic, industry-relevant challenges. Participants will explore how assigning career-based roles within student groups can mirror real workplace environments and strengthen communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.

Through an interactive process, attendees will experience how a problem-based learning cycle can guide students from identifying a problem to developing and presenting solutions. Practical strategies will be shared for designing industry-focused problems, structuring group roles, and facilitating productive student dialogue. Participants will leave with ideas and tools they can use to create engaging learning experiences that help students think and work like professionals in their career fields.

Speakers

Debra Cullen

Instructional Coach, Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)

Debra Cullen is an instructional coach with the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) who works with teachers and school leaders to strengthen instruction, leadership, and student engagement through project-based learning, literacy integration, and professional learning for educators... Read More →

Judy Frank

Director of State and District Partnerships, Southern Regional Education Board

Judy Frank is the SREB West Virgina State Director. She joined SREB in 2015, bringing more than 33 years of experience working on issues of education policy and practice in the public education sector. Judy has led numerous school, district, state and national workshops advocating... Read More →

Monday August 3, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
2W22 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Area Best Practices
global Y

3:15pm EDT

Utilizing the Embedded English Teacher in the Career-Tech Classroom

Monday August 3, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Limited Capacity seats available

In this informative, question-and-answer, and hands-on session, attendees will learn how the Embedded English teacher can be used in the CTE classroom.

Speakers

Whitney Healy

National Board-Certified Teacher; Teacher of English 12 and Embedded English; Beginning Teacher Academy Facilitator, Wetzel County Schools, WV

Whitney Healy is a National Board-Certified teacher in Wetzel County, WV. Whitney teaches English 12 and Embedded English at the Wetzel County Technical Education Center. Whitney will graduate with her Master's in Educational Leadership in 2027.

Monday August 3, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center