Kiera Heavener wants to travel the world.
She recently took her first steps during a study trip in her home state of West Virginia.
Heavener, of Circleville, is a senior at Pendleton County High School. She is one of the participants in the inaugural Governor’s Tourism Academy, a 10-day summer academy for students who want to learn more about West Virginia’s growing tourism industry. The academy kicked off last week in Independence Hall in Wheeling and visited the New River Gorge area on Tuesday, June 25 and Wednesday, June 26.
According to a press release from the West Virginia Tourism Office, the freshman, sophomore and middle school students planned to travel approximately 1,000 miles across West Virginia and learn about tourism and hospitality through hands-on experiences.
Hosted by West Virginia University and supported by the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Guidance and Career Engagement, the Governor’s Tourism School provides students with an opportunity to experience the local area. According to the release, students visit many of the state’s tourist destinations and meet with industry professionals who give them a glimpse into careers in outdoor recreation, arts and culture, hospitality and lodging, and culinary arts.
Lauren Bodnar, communications director for the Ministry of Tourism, said the program “far exceeded our expectations. It exposed students to so many different career paths in the tourism industry that they might not have known about otherwise.”
The students visited each of the state’s nine tourism regions, and along the way, they “saw places they’d never been before, met with long-time industry professionals and just had a great time,” Bodnar said.
“The students were able to try a variety of activities during their 10-day adventure in the Mountain State, but they particularly enjoyed biking on the Hatfield-McCoy Trail, whitewater rafting in New River Gorge National Park Preserve, and a private cooking demonstration with Chef Paul Smith,” Bodnar emphasized. “Governor’s Tourism School has fully accomplished its mission, and if the students go home with a new appreciation for their home state, that’s a bonus.”
Heavener said her goal is to become a graphic designer and travel the world, documenting her travels on her own website.
“I have a job that I really love, so I travel a lot,” she said Tuesday as a group got ready to enjoy a BridgeWalk tour on the world-famous New River Gorge Bridge trail. “I think it’s really nice to travel and see everything, and get to know the places and the history.”
Heavener said she’s been impressed with the state’s history during her tour of the academy. “What impresses me the most is the landmarks and the history behind them,” she said of what has impressed her so far. “To be honest, I’ve never really traveled around West Virginia, but everything is different and different than I’ve ever seen, so I love it all.”
The Bridge Walk experience was meant to be her first in that endeavor. In addition to the Bridge Walk, Tuesday’s itinerary for tourist participants included a New River jet boat excursion and whitewater rafting with ACE Adventure Resort and Adventures on the Gorge.
On Wednesday, the group visited Summit Bechtel Conservation Area, West Virginia University Institute of Technology and Grandview State Park.
Heavener said the main focus of the advice he and others have received recently has been to “promote and spread the word about what a great place West Virginia is.” He said industry professionals have also advised young participants to travel to different parts of the state to gain more knowledge and appreciation for what West Virginia has to offer.
“It means a lot to me,” she said of attending the academy. “I get to meet new people and make new friends,” people she may meet in other situations in the future, she said.
“We have a variety of attractions, gift shops, and we’re welcoming to all kinds of people,” Heavener said of people considering a trip to the Mountain State. For example, if you say, “I’m a hearing-impaired person,” Heavener said there will be a variety of accommodations made for that person.
Angela Mazzella, one of the teachers selected to mentor the participating students, said the Governor’s Tourism School was an attractive proposition for the state.
“My experience at the Governor’s Tourism School has been amazing,” said Mazzella, a math teacher, football and track coach at Beckley-Stratton Middle School who has taught at the school for more than 20 years. “I’ve lived in West Virginia all my life, and I’ve learned more than I ever knew about this great state and what it has to offer.”
“West Virginia has great opportunities for tourism and hospitality industry growth.”
“This program is a collaboration between the Department of Tourism, the Department of Education and West Virginia University,” continued Mazzella, who has also participated in the West Virginia University Science Adventure School pilot program for the past few years. “The inaugural Governor’s Tourism School was developed to showcase the state’s tourism destinations, attractions and hospitality businesses, with the hope of sending 52 students – one from nearly every county – back to their counties as tourism and hospitality ambassadors for West Virginia.”
“Over the past few days, I have seen my students develop strong bonds with one another and come out of their shells to ask tons of questions to all of the panelists in all the travel destinations we have visited so far. Many of our students have already spoken about pursuing careers in tourism and hospitality in West Virginia. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students and for all of us teachers. We are so grateful that our state has initiated this program for our students. We are one of the greatest states and have a lot to offer in the tourism and hospitality sector. This program not only showcases what our state has to offer, but also extends this education outside of the classroom.”
“An exciting benefit we are offering students from each travel region is the opportunity to attend our annual Governor’s Tourism Conference this September,” Bodnar said. “Students are selected by teachers and staff from the Governor’s Tourism School based on their genuine interest, enthusiasm and curiosity about the tourism industry.”
“We have also recruited all of the students from this first Governor’s School to be our ambassadors going forward, whether that be letting us know about events in their area, spreading the word about what a great destination West Virginia is on our social media channels, or sending us content to use on our social media channels.”
“Our hope is that this will be a lifelong ambassadorial effort and that they will choose to stay in West Virginia after they graduate from high school or college.”
Heavener, meanwhile, would like to see the Governor’s Tourism School continue. “This is the first time we’ve done this,” she said. “I’d be really happy if it continues.”
Bodnar said the tourism school will certainly be a regular program “held annually, similar to the other six governor’s schools.”
