This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry’s Little Jimmy Dickens. Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens.
And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car.
The West Virginia State Museum unveiled its Elementary Edition of West Virginia A Digital Primer. The online resource, two and a half years in the making, covers grades K-5 social studies West Virginia History Standards. The site provides interactive content for students and teachers.
Nancy Herholdt , Education Manager in the Museum was thrilled to get the project launched. “Where there was no text that met our needs, teachers and others have collaborated to produce a resource that answers those needs.” Partners in the project include West Virginia: Division of Culture and History, the Department of Education, the Library Commission and Public Broadcasting. Included in the resource are primary source documents, lesson plans, videos and the interactive maps.
Today, Yvonne Martin, one of the teachers who contributed to the primer brought her students to the museum to give the primer a test drive. Yvonne loves the museum and all it has to offer. “I can teach each of my standards, it is such a rich opportunity.” Today Yvonnes’ students were accompanied by their “grandfriends” in celebration of Grandparents day. Everyone was busy putting counties in place and finding our fun facts.
WVPB is excited to be a part of the project. We have linked the Digital Primer to West Virginia LearningMedia. We are proud to provide a link to this resource for West Virginians. Additionally, we are also providing this resource on a National Platform so it is there for others from around North America to search for information about West Virginia.
A Secondary Edition is in the works. We look forward to its completion.-
Brian Kleppner, a special education teacher at Musselman High School in Berkeley County, earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s October 2025 Above and Beyond Award.
Jaime Phillips Ford, a science teacher at East Fairmont High School in Marion County, has earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s September 2025 Above and Beyond Award.
Mountain Readers is a literacy initiative designed to celebrate and foster a love of reading in children across West Virginia. Register your organization to read to a group of PreK-3rd grade children during Mountain Readers Week, Oct. 6-10, 2025. Our book this year is The Wonderfully Wild Ones by West Virginia author, Adeline Boggs and illustrated by Ashley Belote.
The West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Above and Beyond Teacher Award is in honor of educators from all grade levels (K-12) and disciplines who go the extra mile. These teachers are known for paving the way for academic achievement, using new and innovative strategies to reach students, or simply making a difference in the lives of their students every day.