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Monday, August 3
 

10:00am EDT

From Classroom to Company: Building a Simulated Workplace That Develops Real-World Skills
LIMITED
Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
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
JC

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
  Workshop

11:00am EDT

From Ideas to Action: Sparking Student Innovation
LIMITED
Monday August 3, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
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
avatar for Kim Zirk

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

2:15pm EDT

Seeing Your Program Through Student Eyes: Building Ownership in the Simulated Workplace
LIMITED
Monday August 3, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm EDT
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
EC

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 →
JG

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
  Workshop

3:15pm EDT

AI Literacy for All: Student-Led Learning with AI Ready Skills
LIMITED
Monday August 3, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
Limited Capacity seats available
In today's world, it is essential for students to understand Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI Ready Skills provides a comprehensive, student-led curriculum and credentialing pathway that educates students on AI through engaging and interactive methods. This session will demonstrate how integrating captivating student activities with the immersive environment of Minecraft Education empowers educators to enhance their students' AI knowledge, regardless of their own expertise in the field. Additionally, AI Ready Skills emphasizes the importance of teaching students to use AI responsibly, ensuring they understand ethical considerations and safe practices in their AI interactions. And it is available to all West Virginia public schools at no cost!
Speakers
avatar for Catrina Hunzeker

Catrina Hunzeker

Product Specialist, Prodigy Learning
Catrina Hunzeker is a Product Specialist for Prodigy Learning and has 20 years’ experience as both an educator and a trainer. She has trained hundreds of teachers on game-based learning through Minecraft Education. As a former computer science and CTE teacher, Catrina is... Read More →
Monday August 3, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
Shawkey Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center
 
2026 WV ACTE Summer Conference
From $50.00
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