Addie Boggs has been a teacher in Ohio County Schools for a number of years.
You can find Boggs helping students struggling with reading and math, and soon, you can see her in the media center as she takes on a new role as Woodsdale Elementary School’s Media teacher pending board approval at the July 8 meeting. Boggs is also a published children’s book author, drawing inspiration from her own experiences as a young person growing up in West Virginia.
“I grew up in West Virginia. Like many young people, I struggled to find a connection to the state. I thought there was nothing to do,” Boggs states.
Prior to attending college at West Virginia University, Boggs had an opportunity with Adventure WV. Adventure WV is a program through WVU that offers a variety of state-based, national, and international experiences for students wanting to explore. “The trip completely changed my mindset. It showed me so many different aspects of West Virginia, and what makes our state unique and enjoyable,” Boggs explained.
Boggs went on to graduate from WVU with a degree in education before joining the Ohio County Schools system.
In 2019, she decided to use her time exploring our state as the model for a children’s book she would go on to title, The Wonderfully Wild Ones. The book, illustrated by another WV-born author, Ashley Belote, details locations that appeal to students and their endless sense of adventure. The book takes the reader through Wheeling staples like the Good Zoo and Oglebay Mansion, as well as West Virginia iconic spots, like the Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown and the New River Gorge National Park.
“I think sometimes our biggest hurdle can be ourselves, and I want children to see from a young age all that we have to offer in our state,” Boggs states.
Becoming an author wasn’t an easy feat, but Boggs offered advice for anyone interested in pursing authorship as a goal: “My advice about publishing is the same as my advice is for anything challenging: Be okay with not doing it perfectly the first time. Keep trying.”
