From WVPB/Charles Schulz
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the Council for Community and Technical College Education have named 71 high schools “Champion of College Access and Success.”
To be considered a Champion of College Access and Success, high schools must participate in and meet specific criteria for three key college-planning milestone events throughout the school year:
College Application and Exploration Week
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion Campaign
College Decision Day Initiative
Heather McChesney, HEPC director of statewide access initiatives, said the annual award recognizes schools that go above and beyond to build a culture of college and career readiness.
“We feel like those three milestones are a push to help work towards that attainment goal of certificates and degrees, because we’re helping students understand what pathways are available to them after they graduate from high school,” she said. “Whether it’s a military pathway, a career tech pathway, a two- or a four-year, some type of significant training or certification after that high school degree.”
The Champion program has seen regular growth since its pilot with around 20 schools. McChesney said this year’s 71 schools is almost a doubling of the 40 schools that achieved “Champion of College Access and Success” status last year.
“We have expanded it, and we are challenging our colleges – two year, four year, private and public – to work towards a champion status,” she said. “We are challenging our middle schools and our elementary schools to work towards champion status, and each of those levels also have three milestones that they have to complete this year to become champions of College Access and Success by this July as well.”
In 2018, West Virginia set a goal for 60% of West Virginia’s workforce to hold a formal education credential beyond high school by 2030. This statewide effort—known as West Virginia’s Climb—brings together the Higher Education Policy Commission, the Council for Community and Technical College Education, the West Virginia Department of Education, WorkForce West Virginia, and private-sector partners to expand opportunity for all West Virginians.
“We look at the nursing shortage, we look at the teaching shortage. We look at, even in terms of some of our technical jobs, there’s a shortage right now,” she said. “We need students to fill that so we need to educate them and show them what those pathways are.”
The 2025 “Champion of College Access and Success” are:
Berkeley Springs High School
Braxton County High School
Bridgeport High School
Buffalo High School
Cabell Midland High School
Central Catholic High School
Chapmanville Regional High School
Cross Lanes Christian School
East Fairmont High School
East Hardy High School
Fairmont Senior High School
Frankfort High School
George Washington High School
Greenbrier East High School
Greenbrier West High School
Huntington High School
Hurricane High School
James Monroe High School
Jefferson High School
John Marshall High School
Keyser High School
Lewis County High School
Liberty (Raleigh) High School
Lincoln County High School
Logan Senior High School
Magnolia High School
Man Senior High School
Mingo Central Comprehensive High School
Moorefield High School
Morgantown High School
Mount View High School
Musselman High School
Nicholas County High School
Oak Glen High School
Parkersburg South High School
Paw Paw High School
Philip Barbour High School
PikeView High School
Pocahontas County High School
Preston High School
Princeton Senior High School
Ravenswood High School
Ripley High School
Ritchie County High School
River View High School
Riverside High School
Roane County High School
Saint Albans High School
Scott High School
Shady Spring High School
Sherman High School
Spring Mills High School
Spring Valley High School
St. Marys High School
Summers County High School
Teays Valley Christian School
Tug Valley High School
Union Educational Complex
University High School
Valley (Wetzel) High School
Van Junior/Senior High School
Wahama High School
Washington High School
Wayne High School
Webster County High School
Weir High School
Weirton Madonna High School
Wheeling Park High School
Winfield High School
Wirt County High School
Woodrow Wilson High School