“Building and sustaining these partnerships while also creating opportunities and innovations for schools and students will benefit communities throughout our state as we move toward a brighter future.”
West Virginia Chamber Foundation, Board and Department of Education name 2027 Champions of Learning
September 9, 2026
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Chamber Foundation, the West Virginia Board of Education and the West Virginia Department of Education announced four educators and staff members as the 2027 Champions of Learning at an inaugural gala.
The honorees are School Service Personnel of the Year Lisa Cook, School Counselor of the Year Miriam Mason, Principal of the Year Alicia Riggleman and Teacher of the Year Laura Presley.
The event, formerly known as the Celebration of Excellence in Education, was expanded to recognize school counselors, principals and business partners alongside teachers and school service personnel.
West Virginia Chamber Foundation Executive Director Elizabeth House, State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt, board members, county education leaders and business partners attended the announcement gala.
Cook, a bus driver for Boone County Schools, mentors new drivers, volunteers at school events and assists with the Special Olympics and local community outreach programs.
Mason is a school counselor and wellness coordinator at Mylan Park Elementary School in Monongalia County.
She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, and serves as a Certified Mental Health and Nutrition Clinical Specialist.
Mason also works in private practice, supervises graduate interns from West Virginia University and mentors counselors within her county.
Riggleman serves as principal of Musselman High School in Berkeley County.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Shepherd University, along with a Master of Arts in School Counseling and a School Principalship Certificate from Marshall University.
Her 20-year career in Berkeley County Schools includes roles as a teacher, counselor and assistant principal.
Presley coordinated literacy and academic events, including the district’s Bookapalooza and a countywide Academic Bowl, while managing partnerships with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Southern West Virginia GEAR UP.
She works as a National Board Certified Teacher mentor, serves as an ambassador for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and coordinates student council and homecoming activities.
“The West Virginia Chamber Foundation is honored to join the West Virginia Board and Department of Education to honor the exceptional individuals and businesses that are committed to our schools and students,” House said.
“The Champions of Learning Gala reflects the belief that preparing the next generation is a shared responsibility, and one that we all must support as an investment in the future of our state. We are grateful for this partnership and the impact it will have in the years to come.”
Blatt stated that the event celebrates collaborative efforts across the state.
“The inaugural Champions of Learning Gala honors excellence and celebrates the spirit of our collaborative efforts,” Blatt said.
“We not only recognize the phenomenal educators and staff who serve selflessly, but also the partners who understand that our public education system is key to the future of our state.