The June Harless Hall of Fame is an annual ceremony held by the June Harless Center each year. The ceremony provides an opportunity to show appreciation and give recognition to those people who have been identified as outstanding contributors to West Virginia’s educational system with special focus on the rural areas of the state.
“Individuals selected for induction into the Harless Hall of Fame have spent a lifetime providing creative leadership for educators and business and community organizations. This creative way of thinking about life and work is celebrated annually for individuals who have committed to improving the possibilities for West Virginia educators, families, and children.” – Dr. Stan Maynard
Hall of Fame Inductees
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| 16th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees: Katherine Johnson | Robert Shell Jr. and Lena Shell | Drs. Joseph B. and Omayma Touma |
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| 15th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees: Mr. W. Clayton Burch NASA Independent Verification (IV&V)Educator Resource Center Mr. Brad and Mrs. Alys Smith |
14th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Robert Hayes |
13th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin |
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| 12th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Kathy D’Antoni |
11th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Governor Gaston Caperton |
10th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
General Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong |
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| 9th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Governor Bob Wise |
8th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Lowell E. Johnson |
7th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III |
6th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Representative Mary M. Poling
Mr. C. Fred Shewey
Wayne County School System
5th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Ruby Payne
Dr. Steven Paine
Pendleton County School System
4th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
First Lady Gayle Manchin
Dr. Keith Smith
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
3rd Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Mrs. Lydia McCue
Mr. David Ice
Senator Robert Plymale
2nd Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Mrs. Beverly Kingery
Mr. Jimmy D. Hale
Verizon
1st Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Jane McKee
Dr. Bernard Queen
Mr. James “Buck” Harless
Hallie Harless Distinguished Teacher Award
The Hallie Harless Distinguished Teacher Award is made possible by the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. James Harless (“Buck” and Hallie). The award represents not only their generosity but also their passion for exemplary classroom instruction for all students of West Virginia and especially Southern West Virginia. The monetary award is presented annually to an outstanding teacher from Boone, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Wayne or Wyoming counties for his or her effectiveness in the classroom, diligence to the craft, and obvious love and commitment to young people.
Hallie Harless Distinguished Teacher Award Winners
2006 Award Winner:
Ms. Tonya Hatcher
Mingo County
2007 Award Winner:
Mr. Doug Martin
Mingo County
2008 Award Winners:
Ms. April Adams
Wayne County
Ms. Robin Ellis
Mingo County
2009 Award Winners:
Mr. Jonathan Escue
Lincoln County
Ms. Kristy East
McDowell County
2010 Award Winner:
Ms. Heather Woods Lockhart
McDowell County
2011 Award Winner:
Mr. Dan Gottron
McDowell County
2012 Award Winner:
Mrs. Joni Shortridge
Lincoln County
2013 Award Winner:
Mrs. Amanda Sowards
Lincoln County
2014 Award Winner:
Mrs. Amanda Lester
McDowell County
2015 Award Winner:
Mrs. Kelly Bryant
Logan County
2016 Award Winner:
Ms. Whitney Preston
Logan County