Big Elm Elementary Teacher Renee Powell Named as One of Five Finalists for State Teacher of the Year
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on July 31, 2025
The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 West Virginia Teacher of the Year. Chosen from among 55 county winners, these finalists exemplify dedication to their profession and student success through their commitment to student learning and overall success.
The West Virginia Teacher of the Year program is one of the longest-running teacher- recognition programs in the country. It is designed to honor teachers of excellence and elevate the profession for the impact it has on our state.
Finalists are:
Renee Powell teaches 4th grade at Big Elm Elementary School in Harrison County, where she has taught for 14 years. She is a team leader and a member of the school’s hiring committee. In 2010, Powell earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Education and her master’s in education, Reading Specialization, from West Virginia Wesleyan College. She achieved National Board Certification in 2019 and continued
her professional learning in various areas to enhance her instructional practices. In 2022, Powell received a Partner Schools Grant from West Virginia University (WVU) for robotics cubelets and is currently working with a WVU grant committee to expand coding lessons and computational thinking in classrooms.
her professional learning in various areas to enhance her instructional practices. In 2022, Powell received a Partner Schools Grant from West Virginia University (WVU) for robotics cubelets and is currently working with a WVU grant committee to expand coding lessons and computational thinking in classrooms.
She was honored with the Young Alumni Distinguished Centurions award from her high school alma mater, Greensburg Central Catholic in Pennsylvania. Passionate about literacy and student engagement, Powell launched the Mystery Reader program at her school in 2019 to foster a love of reading. She is also committed to shaping education at a broader level as a member of the English Language Arts Standards Review Committee, which meets throughout the year to revise and improve statewide standards and curriculum.
Tiffany Barnes teaches special education at Wheeling Middle School in Ohio County. She holds a professional teaching certification endorsed in Multi-categorical Special Education (Pre-K–Adult), Autism and Reading Specialist. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies from American Military University and a Master of Education in Reading from West Liberty University. In addition to her teaching credentials, Barnes is a certified personal trainer and performance enhancement specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
As a two-time Iraq War veteran with the U.S. Army Military Police, she brings discipline, leadership and compassion to both her classroom and community. Barnes is the founder and coach of the Girls on the Run Heart and Sole team at Wheeling Middle School and initiated the Wreaths Across America program at two local cemeteries. She has established the school’s annual Autism Acceptance 5K race to support special education classrooms throughout Ohio County. She is an active member of Team Red, White & Blue, where she honors fallen soldiers by running half-marathons with a full rucksack, gas mask and flags along with members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, West Virginia Education Association and Kappa Delta Pi.
Brooke Davis teaches English at Buffalo High School in Putnam County. She graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia State University with both a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership. She is pursuing National Board Certification to strengthen her teaching practice and impact on student learning. Her teaching experience spans multiple settings, including middle school and a career technical education center, where she integrated literacy instruction with real-world, career-oriented content.
As a passionate and dedicated educator, Davis fosters a positive school culture through her roles as Faculty Senate president, student council sponsor and Academic Showdown team coach. She has served two terms on the Local School Improvement Council. In her classroom, she adapts the Building Thinking Classrooms framework, originally developed for mathematics, to meet English language arts standards. This approach emphasizes student collaboration, critical thinking and ownership of learning.
Amber Hibbard teaches 8th grade mathematics and serves as the math department head at Capon Bridge Middle School in Hampshire County. She holds a bachelor’s in accounting from Mississippi University for Women and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Liberty University. Her education combines analytical precision with instructional innovation in her teaching practice. Her path to the classroom began during the Covid-19 pandemic while volunteering at a foster care facility in South Carolina, where she created structured learning environments for middle school students.
Drawing from her own personal challenges with mathematics, Hibbard creates classroom environments where curiosity thrives, and mistakes are embraced as learning opportunities. She connects abstract mathematical concepts to real-world applications, making math both accessible and engaging. Beyond her classroom, Hibbard contributes to statewide curriculum development and advocates for mathematics instruction that promotes both conceptual understanding and computational fluency.
Nicole Pratt teaches 2nd grade at East Lynn Elementary School in Wayne County. Her journey as an educator began after she earned an Associate of Science in Mathematics and Science from Garrett College in 2007. While working at a preschool, she discovered her passion for working with children and inspiring a love of learning. In 2012, she graduated cum laude from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education K–6 Comprehensive. Pratt has spent her entire 13-year teaching career at East Lynn Elementary, placing focus on building strong relationships and fostering engagement and curiosity in her classroom.
She earned her National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist in 2018 and renewed her certification in 2023. Dedicated to continuous professional growth, Pratt has completed extensive training in Whole Brain Teaching, STEM education, Number Talks, Building Thinking Classrooms and other instructional strategies. She serves on the East Lynn Elementary Leadership Team and chairs the hiring committee. At the county level, she is the primary grades content master teacher, a member of the Math Cadre, and serves on the 2nd-grade report card committee. At the state level, Pratt has collaborated with the WVDE through the Unite with Numeracy initiative, contributing to the development of math instructional resources.
"The impact a teacher leaves on a student extends beyond the classroom. They nurture personal growth, recognize potential and offer unwavering support that students need to overcome obstacles well past their public school years," said State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. "Our educators are recognized for not only being thought-leaders, but also innovators because they adapt classroom practices that align with the unique needs of their students. Each of our finalists embodies these qualities, and I am proud of the example they are setting for other educators."
The WVDE will honor all School Service Personnel of the Year and Teacher of the Year finalists and name the 2026 winners during a ceremony at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
The WVDE announced the 2026 School Service Personnel of the Year finalists last week, and that information is available on the School Service Personnel of the Year page.
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