The Parkersburg News and Sentinel’s Teen of the Week is Kymber Wotring, a Parkersburg High School senior. (Photo by James Dobbs)

PARKERSBURG — Seventeen-year-old Kymber Wotring has an eagerness for learning and telling others about history.

“I honestly enjoy learning everything that’s happened in the past, and how it affects what’s going on nowadays,” she said.

Wotring has a true passion for history and has always loved learning about it in school. One day she just started watching history documentaries on YouTube and hasn’t stopped since. She prefers to learn about U.S. history and plans to study history in college.

Wotring is applying to Ohio University, Ohio State University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Alabama.

“I know OSU has a really good history department and South Carolina is close to my aunt and OU is really close by,” she said.

Kymber Wotring after “Midsummer Jersey” in the Parkersburg High School Auditorium. (Photo Provided)

Wotring said she decided to apply to Alabama, because although it isn’t her first choice, it’s where her dad, Larry, went to college.

“I’d like to go see what goes down in Alabama since I’ve heard my dad talk about it a lot,” she said.

After earning a degree in history, Wotring wants to become a teacher or work at a museum.

“I just enjoy teaching people about history, and I just love talking about it,” she said. “So I want to tell others about history and all of the interesting facts about it.”

Wotring is a senior at Parkersburg High School with a 3.9 GPA. She takes theater as an elective and is also a member of the school’s Theater Club.

From left, Larry Wotring and Kymber Wotring take a picture after “Midsummer Jersey,” a Parkersburg High School production. (Photo Provided)

“I like learning about theater productions and acting,” she said. “I enjoy it because that’s where a lot of my friends are, and the teachers are really nice.”

Wotring said she participated in her first school production last year, “Midsummer Jersey,” a “Jersey Shore” take on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” She played a fairy.

“It was my first time being on stage and it actually helped with my stage fright,” she said. “So I actually became more comfortable performing in front of people.”

When she isn’t watching history documentaries, Wotring volunteers with Wood County Emergency Communications, a non-profit created to provide back-up and communications to the public safety agencies in Wood County.

“I usually help with fundraisers and I also go out to Field Day, where they go out for a weekend and do all the practicing for how to run radios,” she said.

Kymber Wotring leaves for the American Legion Auxiliary Rhododendron Girls State. (Photo Provided)

Wotring said she first got involved with the program through her grandfather, Kenny Harris, who is the director of the group.

“I enjoy it, because I get to spend time with my family and we get to also help people,” she said.

Wotring was invited to attend the American Legion Auxiliary Rhododendron Girls State at Davis and Elkins College over the summer. She said she was one of many girls from around the state, who had the chance to spend a week at Davis and Elkins College to take classes and learn about the government, election processes, Americanism and citizenship.

In her spare time, Wotring loves reading fantasy stories. Her favorite series is Harry Potter.

“I just like the imagination of it, and the escape from the real world into a world of magic,” she said.

James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com