June Harless Center at Marshall University

08/21/2026

This weekend is 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 at Gritt’s Farm benefiting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!🌻📚

🌻This Weekend! Gritt's Farm 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀📚
$1 per stem benefits Dolly Parton's Imagination Library 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴 𝟮𝟮 & 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴 𝟮𝟯

This year, we are excited to celebrate our Fun Farm collaboration with Gritt’s Farm by turning 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀! For every sunflower picked, $1 per stem will be donated to the Imagination Library!

🎟️ What's Included:
Access to sunflower fields
Sunflowers available for picking
$1 from every stem picked donated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Kids 2 & under are FREE!

Enjoy the blooms, take home a little sunshine, and help us plant the seeds for a love of reading in our community.

08/21/2026

From the Field Friday: Play & Possibility with Cabell County Pre-K Educators

This week, Ms. Kelcie facilitated a day of professional learning with Cabell County Pre-K educators, focused on the power of play and possibility in early childhood classrooms.Together, educators explored developmentally appropriate practices, reflected on how children learn best through play, and examined the importance of powerful interactions that build relationships, extend thinking, and support children's growth.
Through rich discussions, reflection, and collaborative learning, educators deepened their understanding of how intentional, responsive interactions can transform everyday moments into meaningful learning experiences.

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Cabell County educators as they continue creating joyful, engaging, and child-centered learning environments for West Virginia's youngest learners.

📣 Interested in early childhood professional learning for your school or district? Contact the June Harless Center to learn more about our customized training opportunities!

08/17/2026

08/14/2026

From the Field Friday: 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝟱𝗞 brings record participation, community spirit, and thousands of books to local children 💖🏃‍♀️📚

Thanks to everyone contributing to the success of this year’s 𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝟱𝗞 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 sustaining local programming and celebrating the 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 of this unique and impactful program!

We are proud to be the statewide partner with the Dollywood Foundation bringing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to West Virginia children and families.

08/10/2026

🏅 Mondays Are for Medals! 🏅
We’re kicking off the week by celebrating the incredible runners who crossed the finish line at the 4th Annual Dolly Dash 5K Race for Reading! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🎉
The June Harless Center was honored to serve as the Hosting Sponsor for this year’s Dolly Dash, bringing our community together to run, walk, celebrate, and support something that means so much to us—Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of West Virginia. 📚❤️

Today, we’re putting the spotlight on our Dolly Dash medalists! 🥇🥈👏 Congratulations to all of our winners! Your hard work, determination, and race-day spirit made this year’s event one to remember.

But the real victory goes far beyond the finish line.
Every mile helps support the gift of books. 📖
Every dollar helps put books into the hands of children.
Every book helps inspire a lifelong love of learning. ✨

Through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of West Virginia, children across all 55 counties can receive a free, high-quality book delivered to their homes every month.
So today, we celebrate the medals—but we’re even more excited to celebrate what those medals represent.

Thank you to every runner, walker, volunteer, sponsor, and supporter who helped make the 4th Annual Dolly Dash a success! 💖

08/10/2026

Mission in Action: Co-Teaching for Student Success

This week, educators at Oak Hill Middle School participated in a two-day professional learning experience focused on strengthening co-teaching practices and fostering collaborative partnerships. Teachers explored effective communication strategies, co-teaching instructional models, co-planning frameworks, and shared assessment practices designed to support all learners.

Through meaningful discussion, reflection, and hands-on lesson design, co-teaching teams worked together to develop shared approaches for planning, delivering, and assessing instruction.

Interested in strengthening co-teaching practices in your school or district? Our team offers professional learning tailored to the needs of educators, schools, and co-teaching teams. Contact us to learn more about available co-teaching professional learning opportunities designed to help all students succeed!

08/07/2026

Books. Running. Dolly. What could be better?

Join us for the Dolly Dash 5K Race for Reading as we celebrate 20 years of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in West Virginia!

When you register, you're doing more than signing up for a 5K...

Every adult registration sponsors one child's enrollment in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for an entire year, helping put free, high-quality books into the hands of young readers across West Virginia.

Whether you're chasing a PR, walking with friends, bringing the kids, or showing off your best Dolly outfit, this is a morning you won't want to miss!

What to expect:
• Flat, fast, paved 5K through beautiful Ritter Park
• Exclusive 20th Anniversary commemorative T-shirt (guaranteed with early registration by August 1)
• Unique locally-made wooden age group medals
• Family Fun activities beginning at 8:30 AM
• "Best Dressed Dolly" Contest for Adults, Children, and even "Doggy Parton!"
• Great prizes from local sponsors
• Pets welcome!
• Can't run? Register anyway and receive your commemorative shirt while supporting a great cause.

Because as Dolly says:

"You can never get enough books into the hands of enough children."

Every step you take helps inspire a lifetime of reading.

Saturday, August 8, 2026
Ritter Park
Huntington, WV

Register today:
https://flextiming.pro/race/13319

Tag your running buddies, your favorite Dolly fan, and everyone who believes every child deserves a great book.

08/07/2026

☕️🎶Pour yourself a cup of ambition!
Tomorrow we run to put more books into more little hands. See you at the Dolly Dash 5K! 📚🏃
Thank you to our valued sponsor, Dunkin' 5ᴛʜ ᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴜɴᴛɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ!

The excitement is brewing for the Dolly Dash 5K Race For Reading 20th Anniversary Celebration!
Thanks, Dunkin' 5ᴛʜ ᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴜɴᴛɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ for helping fuel Dolly’s 5K and our mission to put books in the hands of local children 📚💗☕️


https://tristateracer.com/dollydash2026

08/07/2026

From the Field Friday: Empowering Student Ownership Through Design Thinking

This week, Jason Gibbs presented at the West Virginia ACTE Conference, sharing a session titled "Enhancing Student Ownership Through Design Thinking."

Participants explored how design thinking can help educators better understand student experiences, build meaningful opportunities for student voice, and create learning environments where students become active contributors rather than passive participants. Through a focus on empathy, collaboration, and co-design, the session challenged educators to rethink how ownership develops and how students can help shape their own learning experiences.

📣 Interested in learning more about Design Thinking? The June Harless Center offers customized support for schools and districts looking to foster innovation, problem-solving, and student ownership. Contact us to start the conversation!

08/05/2026

𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝟱𝗞 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁
Thank you to our valued community partners!
"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣."
- 𝘿𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙤𝙣 💖

🌟We’re incredibly grateful for the 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 of our upcoming Dolly Dash 5K Race For Reading 20th Anniversary Celebration!
Their generosity helps Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of West Virginia provide free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five building home libraries and strong foundations for literacy and lifelong learning!
📚 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲!
http://tristateracer.com/dollydash2026
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