WV Dept. of Ed. Awards Excellence at Career Tech Administrators' Conference
Charleston, W. Va. - The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) honored schools, districts, educators, and partners across the state during the annual Career Technical Education (CTE) Awards Ceremony, celebrating the people and programs that shape the future of West Virginia’s workforce. Activities were held as part of the 2025 CTE Administrators' Conference at the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia.
The ceremony highlighted outstanding performance in CTE through the WVDE Office of Career Technical Education’s Pinnacle Awards. The program recognizes achievement across key accountability indicators, including participation, concentration, completion, work-based learning, technical assessments and teacher endorsement. Additionally, the awards reflect the WVDE’s commitment to recognizing excellence in education and building stronger connections between schools, industry and communities.
Pinnacle Club Recognition
Counties in the top 10% for each accountability indicator were honored, along with the top five high schools and the top five CTE centers with the highest accountability scores across all indicators.
Top High School CTE Programs:
| School | County |
|---|---|
| Hedgesville High School | Berkeley County |
| Musselman High School | Berkeley County |
| Preston High School | Preston County |
| Tolsia High School | Wayne County |
| Wayne High School | Wayne County |
Top CTE Centers:
| School | County |
|---|---|
| Ben Franklin Career Center | Kanawha County |
| Mercer County Technical Education Center | Mercer County |
| Putnam Career and Technical Center | Putnam County |
| Roane-Jackson Technical Center | Jackson County |
| Wood County Vocational Technical Center | Wood County |
District Pinnacle Awards recognizing outstanding districts in four classes (based on district size):
- Class 1 - Grant County
- Class 2 - Wetzel County
- Class 3 - Nicholas County
- Class 4 - Kanawha County
“These schools and districts set the bar for excellence in Career Technical Education, proving that CTE is a driving force in preparing students for both college and careers,” said State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. “Their commitment to their students and the greater community is exemplary, and I congratulate them on these achievements.”
In addition to school and district recognitions, the ceremony also honored individuals and partners whose leadership and innovation are strengthening CTE across the Mountain State:
- CTE Distinguished Partnership Award: Marshall Advanced Manufacturing for its hands-on learning opportunities, pre-apprenticeship program and pathways into high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing.
- CTE Distinguished Service Award: Monica Cross, Program Director of Explore the New Manufacturing, for her statewide leadership in connecting students with modern manufacturing opportunities.
- CTE Administrator of the Year: Tom Bayless, Nicholas County Career and Technical Center, for his visionary leadership in expanding opportunities, partnerships, and student engagement.
- CTE Teacher of the Year: Captain Darin Virag, Putnam Career and Technical Center, for transforming decades of fire service into powerful, real-world learning experiences for students.
- CTE Counselor of the Year: Melanie Knutsen, Marshall County Schools, for her tireless advocacy and innovative initiatives that introduce students to career pathways.
“These awardees are not just shaping classrooms and programs, they are also shaping West Virginia’s future workforce and economy,” said WVDE Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Career Engagement Clinton Burch. “CTE has a significant impact on all aspects of student and career preparation, and our educators, counselors, instructors and administrators deserve recognition for ensuring students are prepared for pathways after high school, whatever those may be.”
The WVDE recently released the state’s 2025 CTE assessment progress, or NOCTI, scores. This third-party exam is administered to students across 16 career clusters to evaluate competency as well as workplace readiness. West Virginia students achieved a 68% passage rate, which is a 4% increase from last year.
Event photos are available in the CTE Administrators’ Conference Flickr album.