Educators from 12 counties selected to participate in Huntington’s Ignite the Classroom Initiative

CHARLESTON, W.Va., March 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Huntington National Bank (Huntington) has announced that more than 250 West Virginia educators are being awarded a year-long professional development experience through Huntington’s Ignite the Classroom initiative. The awards were revealed Wednesday evening at a special event, where attending educators were surprised to learn they had been selected for the program.

Now entering its third year, Ignite the Classroom supports educators across the bank’s footprint with exceptional professional development training designed to transform classrooms and enrich student learning. The initiative reflects Huntington’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the communities it serves and is one of the many ways in which Huntington continues to give back locally.

“West Virginia’s educators play a vital role in shaping the future of communities across the state, and Huntington is proud to invest in their continued growth,” said Chad Prather, president of Huntington’s West Virginia region. “Through this year’s Ignite the Classroom program, we look forward to providing educators with a transformative professional development opportunity that will positively impact West Virginia students for years to come.”

The West Virginia educators selected for this year’s program represent a range of middle school professionals from Berkeley, Boone, Cabell, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Jefferson, Kanawha, Mercer, Monongalia, Randolph and Tucker counties. Educators will engage in the program as a cohort and receive professional development training and support throughout the school year.

The experience will include a visit in July to the Ron Clark Academy (RCA), an internationally renowned nonprofit middle school in Atlanta known for academic excellence. During their visit to RCA, the educators will participate in immersive professional development training geared toward igniting students’ passion for learning.

This year marks the second consecutive year that educators from West Virginia will participate in Ignite the Classroom. Over 120 West Virginia educators took part in last year’s program, making this year’s cohort more than double that number. This year’s participating West Virginia schools were selected by the West Virginia Department of Education.

“The West Virginia Department of Education is committed to supporting the growth and development of our educators, whose hard work and dedication drive the success of our schools,” said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. “We applaud Huntington’s Ignite the Classroom initiative and are grateful for the opportunity it provides our educators to participate in professional development that strengthens their skills, awakens their creativity and, ultimately, enhances learning outcomes for students across the Mountain State. On behalf of the educators throughout the state, thank you to Huntington for your commitment to the education community.”

Since being introduced in 2024, Ignite the Classroom has reached nearly 2,300 educators and 40 school districts across Huntington’s footprint. Educators participate in the program at no cost, thanks to investments from Huntington and contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals, including:

The Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust
WVU Medicine
Wing 2 Wing Foundation
Lisa and Larry Pack
Benedum Foundation
Vandalia Health
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
Augusta Family Foundation
Paul Ambrose Charitable Trust Foundation
George D. Hott Memorial Foundation
Virginia Brown Foundation
Liz and Louis Weisberg Family Foundation
Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation
Downtown Ford and University Ford
JW Ebert Corporation
Lester Raines Honda
Boone Memorial Health
Service Wire Company
Chris Adkins

For more information visit www.Huntington.com/IgniteTheClassroom.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $279 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle-market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates nearly 1,400 branches in 21 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.

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