Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) announced Tiffany Barnes from Ohio County as the 2026 West Virginia Teacher of the Year (TOY) during the Celebration of Excellence in Education event at the Culture Center in Charleston, Tuesday evening. WVBE Member Debra Sullivan, State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt, and other education leaders were present for the announcement.
Barnes is a special education teacher at Wheeling Middle School. 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. 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.
“We are pleased to celebrate Mrs. Barnes and welcome her into the Teacher of the Year tradition. Her journey to teaching has prepared her to bring exceptional insights and incredible compassion to her classroom,” said Superintendent Blatt. “Beyond the classroom, she understands the world from a global perspective and shares a vision with those around her that will impact the local and extended community. Her skills and expertise make her an influential and effective educator, and we know she will thrive in this new role.”
West Virginia’s TOY program is one of the longest-running teacher recognition programs in the nation. Since 1964, the WVBE and the WVDE have named 62 exemplary practitioners who have represented the positive qualities of public education.
Sponsor support of the TOY program has elevated it to greater levels of success and effectiveness. The 2026 sponsors include:
Sponsor Contribution
Toyota West Virginia Free use of a 2026 vehicle for one year
Highmark West Virginia $5,000
Horace Mann $5,000; $300 DonorsChoose funding gift to TOY finalists
West Virginia Lottery $500 grant to TOY; $300 grant to each county TOY
Leadership West Virginia Tuition and lodging for the 2027 cohort
West Virginia Tourism Two-night stay at a West Virginia State Park
Education West Virginia $1,000
West Virginia Professional Educators $250 Amazon gift card and teacher supplies gift box
Ivor’s Trunk $150 gift card
Blenko Glass Commemorative handcrafted coin to all county winners
Barnes’ term as Teacher of the Year begins on January 1, 2026. To learn more about the TOY program, visit the WVDE website.
The 2026 West Virginia School Service Personnel of the Year was also announced at the Celebration of Excellence in Education event, and more information is available on the WVDE website.
View event photos in the WVDE Flickr Album.
