West Virginia teacher to release a book about the state

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — Mill Creek Intermediate teacher Kacy Harmon recalled something her dad always tells her whenever she embarks on her next big chapter, like leaving for college.

“Don’t forget who you are and where you came from,” she said.

Harmon is hoping to pass that on to her students and many others with the release of her new book, “My West Virginia Adventure,” which she announced March 22 in conjunction with National West Virginia Day.

The book is a pseudo-activity book, with places to visit in all 55 counties and places to share memories.

“That’s really what motivated the book: I want to share it with the kids and their families,” Harmon said. “So much, especially the past two years, we’ve spent time online and on our phones, not getting out and being able to explore, do different things. I really want it to be a way that the families can spend time together.”

That sharing began with her own family.

Harmon was tasked with getting her cousin and husband — new parents at the time — something for Christmas in 2020, and Harmon’s family is big on experiences as gifts.

She sought something for them to do as new parents, something to bring their new son into the fold.

“I did an Airbnb gift card. I did a West Virginia photo journal, and I found a map on Etsy where you could check off places you had been,” Harmon said. “But I was like, ‘I wish there was something for Daniel that, as he gets older, he can work in, like an activity book.’ That gave me the idea that, ‘If I can’t find one, I could write one about exploring West Virginia.’”

The thought stuck with Harmon as she embarked on research, finding the best tourist attractions and hidden gems all around West Virginia.

As a native West Virginian, the research...