Woodsdale teacher writes children’s book about West Virginia’s unique features | News, Sports, Jobs

|Photo by Joselyn King| Addie Boggs, a teacher at Woodsdale Elementary School, holds a copy of her book, “The Wonderfully Wild Ones,” a children’s book about places and culture in West Virginia.

WHEELING – A Woodsdale Elementary School teacher has written a story to introduce West Virginia children to special places in the Mountain State.

Addie Boggs wrote “The Wonderfully Wild Ones” and the artwork is by Ashley Belote, also from West Virginia.

The book begins at the Good Zoo in Oglebay Park, where three lions escape to go on an adventure across West Virginia, visiting places like Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, Marshall University, the New River Gorge Bridge, and Coopers Rock State Forest.

According to Boggs, they even eat some pepperoni sandwiches and take a ride on the Cass Scenic Railroad along the way.

The book includes a “wonderfully wild bucket list” of activities for kids in West Virginia, including visiting a waterfall, playing a winter sport, going horseback riding or visiting a historic town like Harpers Ferry.

“I grew up in West Virginia, in Wheeling,” Boggs said. “Like most people growing up in West Virginia, I found the state boring.”

However, her mind changed just before she began her freshman year at West Virginia University in 2012. She participated in Adventure WV, a WVU program that offers students the opportunity to experience camping, whitewater rafting and aerial adventures throughout the state.

“That’s when I saw what West Virginia has to offer and how unique it is. That changed my perspective,” she said. “The book highlights some of the unique aspects of the state.”

“It looks at some of the state’s landmarks and geography and is designed to instill an appreciation for West Virginia at a younger age.”

Boggs noted that one of the hurdles the state faces in retaining its population is “getting young people to take more responsibility for our state.”

Boggs was a special education teacher at Woodsdale Elementary for seven years and is now being considered for the position of media teacher at the school following Sandra Wiseman’s retirement.

Her transfer to the new position is on the list of personnel requests that will be considered by members of the Ohio County Board of Education at their meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. at the board’s office at 2203 National Road, Elm Grove.

“I always said that if I ever gave up being a special education teacher, I would become a media teacher,” Boggs said.

She said she is currently out of books, but that copies of “The Wonderfully Wild Ones” will soon be available at her and local bookstores. She plans to do some book signings in the fall.