2026 WV ACTE Summer Conference

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

10:00am EDT

Educator Wellness and the Work/Life Balance

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

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

We know we exist in a world our personal and professional lives often overlap, sometimes creating opportunities for chaos. During this session, we will explore these occurrences, examine some research-based techniques to address them, and provide opportunities to connect with others.

Speakers

Susie Garrison

Office of Academic Support Coordinator, ELA 6-12, WV Department of Education

Susie has served in education since 2000, working for 25 years at the elementary and secondary levels in the Kanawha County school district in West Virginia, both as a classroom teacher and as the English Language Arts 6-12 county lead teacher. Since September of 2022, she has served... Read More →

Stephanie Hayes

Coordinator, Office of Instructional Leadership, WV Department of Education

She will need to upload her bio :-)

Monday August 3, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Workshop

global Y

11:00am EDT

Marshall Health Network - MedEx Program

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

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

The MedEx (Medical Explorers) program through Marshall Health Network is a two-year high school workforce development initiative designed to introduce students to careers in health care. Rather than functioning as a traditional hiring program, MedEx serves as a structured partnership between the health system and local school districts. Students participate in both classroom learning and hands-on clinical experiences within real health care settings, where they are mentored by professionals and exposed to roles such as Patient Care Technician and Medical Assistant.

Speakers

Anastasia Elwood

Director of Learning and Development, Marshall Health Network

Monday August 3, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Workshop

Area Healthcare & Human Services

2:15pm EDT

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

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

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

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
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Workshop

Area Best Practices

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

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

Workshop

Area Best Practices
global Y

10:00am EDT

Big Opportunities, Small Towns: Career Exploration Strategies for Rural Middle Schools

Tuesday August 4, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Rural middle schools play a critical role in helping students begin to see possibilities for their future. Yet many schools face challenges such as limited access to industry partners, transportation barriers, and fewer opportunities for career exposure. This session will explore why career exploration in the middle grades matters and how educators can expand students’ awareness of careers—even without leaving the classroom.

Participants will learn practical, low-cost strategies that rural schools can implement immediately, including virtual industry tours, career-focused project-based learning, and using real labor market data for career research. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas and resources to help rural students discover big opportunities beyond their small towns.

Speakers

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 →

Daniel Rock

Senior Instructional Coach, Southern Region Education Board

Daniel Rock is an instructional coach with the Southern Regional Education Board who works with schools across multiple states to strengthen literacy and instructional practices across content areas, including career and technical education programs. His work focuses on helping teachers... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Workshop

Area Middle School, Best Practices
global Y

11:00am EDT

The Power of the Pack: Building a Rigorous, Student-Centered Middle School Career Exploration Program

Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

The Power of the Pack: Building a Rigorous, Student-Centered Middle School Career Exploration & CTE Program
What does it look like when an entire middle school rallies together to build a culture where every student can see—and start becoming—their future self? In this session, participants will explore how Warm Springs Middle School has transformed Career Exploration into a cohesive, student-centered, and community‑driven initiative that strengthens engagement, academic relevance, and postsecondary awareness across grades 6–8.
This session will spotlight how WSMS redesigned its systems using career clusters, student voice, intentional teaming, and community partnerships to create a comprehensive middle‑grades CTE pipeline. Participants will examine the school’s Career Exploration Club model—28 clubs aligned with CTE pathways—and learn how this model naturally complements programs like Discovering Your Futures, Project Lead The Way (PLTW), and other exploratory curricula.
Attendees will discover practical strategies for:
• Building a career-connected culture in the middle grades
Through weekly exploratory rotations, interest‑based clubs, and cross‑curricular collaboration, WSMS increased student agency and intrinsic motivation that extends into classrooms, athletics, intramurals, and schoolwide leadership opportunities.
• Designing sustainable, student-driven CTE experiences
Learn how WSMS integrates hands‑on STEM experiences, agriculture, technical skills, and real-world problem solving through PLTW modules, student-selected pathways, and community mentorships.
• Leveraging Discovering Your Futures to promote early career identity development
See how the framework supports students in identifying strengths, exploring clusters, and developing personal goals—while giving teachers an easy-to-implement structure.
• Writing grants that bring your vision to life
Participants will see real examples from WSMS’s successful grant projects—such as greenhouse construction, agriculture expansion, and new technology programs—and walk away with replicable grant-writing tips to secure funding for high-impact student experiences.
• Partnering with local businesses & industry—at a middle school level
Explore how WSMS built meaningful partnerships with local employers, colleges, and community organizations to strengthen relevance, boost student engagement, and ignite early workforce curiosity.
By the end of the session, participants will leave with:
✓ A strategic roadmap for launching or expanding middle‑grade CTE
✓ Templates for student interest surveys, teaming structures, and club design
✓ Ideas for integrating PLTW and Discovering Your Futures into daily schedules
✓ Grant-writing language and models they can adapt immediately
✓ Concrete, actionable steps to create a schoolwide culture of exploration, belonging, and future readiness
Join us to discover how The Power of the Pack can reshape your school—and empower every student to explore boldly, think deeply, and dream confidently about who they can become.

Speakers

Jamie Harris

The Power of the Pack: Building a Rigorous, Student-Centered Middle School Career Exploration Program, Warm Springs Middle School/Morgan County Schools WV

Jamie Harris is a visionary, student‑centered leader who serves as Principal of Warm Springs Middle School, where he has spearheaded one of the most transformative periods of growth and innovation in the school’s recent history. Known for his visible, hands-on leadership style... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Workshop

Area Middle School, Best Practices
global Y

1:00pm EDT

Your opportunity awaits! FREE Economics programs at WVU for Teachers and High School Students

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Did you know there is an outreach via West Virginia University that can offer a no cost Masters of Science in Economics degree for Wv educators and free dual credit economics classes for West Virginia students? In this fun and informative session, representatives from the Kendrick Center for an Ethical Economy at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at WVU will be here to fill you in on all the details. The Kendrick Center is breaking new ground in what business ethics means in a business college. Come be part of the mission and goal of providing an economist to every community across the State!

Speakers

Cathleen Johnson

Kendrick Chair of Economics, Director of the Center for an Ethical Economy, Kendrick Center for an Ethical Economy at West Virginia University

Cathleen Johnson is the Assistant Chair in the Economics Department at West Virginia University. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Virginia Tech in 2000. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship with Nobel Laureate Vernon Smith in 2001. Her specialty after network theory is running... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Workshop

Area Management & Entrepreneurship, Investing in the Future, Post-Secondary Credit

2:00pm EDT

Unleashing the Power of Pearson Career Ready

Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT

2W16 Room @ Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Discover how the combined power of Certiport industry certifications, eDynamic Learning’s interactive digital curriculum, and Pearson’s College & Career Readiness solutions create a unified ecosystem supporting hundreds of certification pathways across all 16 ACTE career clusters—from Agriculture and Architecture & Construction to Health Science, IT, Transportation, and beyond.
In this session, we’ll explore a portfolio of 197+ industry-recognized credentials, including AI, Adobe, Autodesk, CompTIA, ASE, NCCER, Intuit, Entrepreneurship, NCHSE, and more—demonstrating that there is a pathway for every student.
But credentials are only part of the story. Learn how to successfully implement and sustain these programs on your campus, starting in middle school and extending through a thoughtfully designed CTE pathway that leads to real postsecondary opportunities.
Our solutions support students in meeting state graduation requirements—including personal finance, career exploration, and workforce readiness—while simultaneously building toward industry certification. Spanning grades 5–12, our resources also include award-winning virtual internships that provide meaningful, real-world experiences.

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... Read More →

Tuesday August 4, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm EDT
2W16 Room Marshall University Student Memorial Center

Speed Networking Session

Area Best Practices

2026 WV ACTE Summer Conference

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2026 WV ACTE Summer Conference

10:00am EDT

Susie Garrison

Stephanie Hayes

11:00am EDT

Anastasia Elwood

2:15pm EDT

Elizabeth Crawford

Jason Gibbs

3:15pm EDT

Whitney Healy

10:00am EDT

Judy Frank

Daniel Rock

11:00am EDT

Jamie Harris

1:00pm EDT

Cathleen Johnson

2:00pm EDT

Portia Naze

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