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.
Hall of Fame Inductees
16th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees: Katherine Johnson
Robert Shell Jr. and Lena Shell
Drs. Joseph B. and Omayma Touma
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
Robert C Byrd Institute
Mr. Gary White
13th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin
Mr. Ron Berger
West Virginia Women’s Education Forum
12th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Kathy D’Antoni
Mr. Michael J Farrell, Esquire
Southern Regional Education Board
11th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Governor Gaston Caperton
Mr. A. Michael and Mrs. Henriella Perry
Dr. Illah Nourbakhsh
10th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
General Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong
Senator Lloyd G. Jackson II
U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller
9th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Governor Bob Wise
Cabell County School System
Frontier Communications
8th Annual Hall of Fame Inductees:
Dr. Lowell E. Johnson
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin
Mr. Ralph Baxter
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III
Dr. Jack McClanahan
Dr. Rosalyn Templeton
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