Students at Jackson Middle School recently experienced the thrill of seeing their own work in print. On Tuesday, they joined local author Don Stansberry for a special unboxing event to celebrate the release of their new collaborative nature book, The Wild of Wild Wonderful West Virginia.
The book is packed with fascinating facts about the creatures—both real and legendary—that call the Mountain State home. From golden rainbow trout to stink bugs, and even the infamous Flatwoods Monster, each page reflects months of research and creative effort by the students.
“I’m really proud of the product we’ve put out,” said Stansberry. “The teachers, the kids, and the administration all came together to make this possible.”
Students in Cherish George’s sixth and seventh grade science classes each contributed six to seven drawings and descriptive paragraphs about West Virginia wildlife. Seventh-grader Harlan Wolfe appreciated the creative freedom: “You could personally choose what you wanted to do,” he said.
Some students focused on dangerous wildlife, such as the copperhead snake. “I looked up how many people have died from its venom each year,” said seventh-grader Kerrigan Keller. “I thought it was really interesting to see how many people have actually had a fatality from it.”
Others dove into the folklore side of nature. Wolfe recounted the tale of the Flatwoods Monster: “In West Virginia, in the ’50s, some kids were out playing games, and they saw a meteor strike the Earth. They went to check it out and saw this monster come out.”
Teacher Cherish George encouraged her students to see the bigger picture of their work. “It might feel like just a story you wrote for school, but this is something you can show your kids or grandkids someday,” she said. “You’re writing with an actual purpose.”
The first printing of the book includes 500 copies, now available for $20 each. They can be purchased at the school through Monday, the last day for students, or at the West Virginia Credit Union in Vienna.
Half of the proceeds will support the school’s Positive Behavior Reinforcement (PBR) program and help fund bathroom upgrades.
“We’re hoping to use those proceeds to fund our PBR program and hopefully update some of the bathrooms here,” George explained.
Those interested in purchasing a copy can call the school at 304-420-9551. Stansberry added that they’re open to partnering with other local businesses to help sell more copies.
“If anyone has ideas or wants to buy in bulk, contact the school,” he said. “I’d even deliver the books myself if we can get a bunch of orders.”
This project not only brought a unique learning opportunity into the classroom, but it also gave these young authors a tangible sense of achievement—and a book they can proudly call their own.
