Seeing oneself represented in literature is vitally important for all groups, including young West Virginians, trying to find their place in the world. Not only will students be able to recognize themselves in the pages of these texts, but they will also come to understand that anything is possible for them, and being a writer is not something reserved for those in New York City. In this keynote session, four West Virginia women writers (Ann Pancake, Catherine Venerable Moore, Natalie Sypolt, and Neema Avashia) will discuss the importance of teaching Appalachian literature to children in all grade levels, will provide ideas for lessons that can be taken into the classroom, and share a bit of their own work.