**Editor’s note: Since Ashley Peggs received WVPB’s Above and Beyond Teacher Award, she has started a new job at the West Virginia Department of Education. Best of luck, Ashley!
Ashley Peggs, a former middle school gifted teacher in Kanawha County, has earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s September 2026 Above and Beyond Teacher Award, which honors the excellence and creativity of Mountain State educators. Peggs received a monetary award and a signature Blenko Glass apple paperweight. The West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office, presenter of the SMART529 college savings program, proudly sponsors the award.
As a middle school gifted teacher, Peggs encouraged students to see their curiosity and creativity as strengths. Through interactive projects and real-world problem-solving, she gave students opportunities to take risks, explore their interests and discover the value of their own ideas.
“My time as a middle school gifted teacher was potentially the most rewarding experience of my life (thus far),” Peggs said. “I wanted my students to know that their curiosity, creativity, and unconventional ways of thinking were strengths to be celebrated, not suppressed.”
She said one of her greatest accomplishments was organizing a countywide Shark Tank event that brought together more than 250 middle school gifted students. Students developed ideas and pitched their solutions to more than 30 local judges, competing for more than $13,000 in donated prizes. Bringing the event to life required extensive planning and collaboration with local businesses, West Virginia State University and community organizations.
“What I loved most was watching them realize that their ideas had real value and that people in their community were willing to listen to them, encourage them and invest in their creativity,” she said.
Peggs approaches challenges with the belief that if something matters, she can find a way to make it happen, her husband, Micah Peggs, said. That same commitment carries beyond the classroom. As a teacher, Peggs encouraged students to become active members of their community and find ways to help others. Each year, she took students to volunteer at the Exceptional Games, an annual Kanawha County event that brings together students with disabilities for a day of inclusive athletic activities and celebration. Her students helped with activities and encouraged participants along the way.
Photo Credit: Brittany McGuire/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
“It’s something the participants love, but it’s also something that really sticks with her students. It teaches empathy in a way a lesson never could,” her husband said.
In her current role as Digital Regional Specialist with the West Virginia Department of Education, Peggs hopes to help teachers use digital tools to strengthen teaching and learning. She wants technology to make educators’ work more manageable so they can spend more time building relationships and developing meaningful experiences for students.
“Ultimately, my goal hasn’t really changed: I want to support the people who support our students and help make great things possible across West Virginia,” Peggs said.
Each month of the school year, West Virginia Public Broadcasting honors an educator who goes above and beyond for students throughout the state. To nominate an outstanding teacher in your community, visit WVPB’s Above and Beyond page.
