Meet Laura Presley

Laura Presley is a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) in English language arts (ELA) at Princeton Senior High School in Mercer County, where she has taught since 2010. Presley currently teaches honors English 10, English 9 and a Holocaust literature elective. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education in English 5–Adult from Concord University and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education from Marshall University. As the English department chair and a mentor teacher, Presley leads districtwide literacy and professional learning initiatives, including collaborative teaching models that integrate ELA with history and geography. Presley has developed innovative student engagement opportunities—the district’s Bookapalooza literacy event and the countywide Academic Bowl—and coordinated local and national partnerships, including programs with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Southern West Virginia GEAR UP. A recognized NBCT mentor statewide, she serves as an ambassador for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and presents for the WVDE’s mentorship program. Her commitment to advancing education extends beyond the classroom through her service as student council and homecoming coordinator, where she connects the students to their community. Presley’s career reflects a passion for literacy, cultural understanding and empowering both students and educators to reach their highest potential.