The Appalachian Futurism Project kicked off at the ETSU James and Nellie Brinkley Center on Sept. 22. The event marked the launch of a new initiative aimed at engaging youth in shaping the future of Appalachia through community-based learning.
The project was created by Dustin Hensley, Elizabethton High School librarian and ETSU adjunct professor, to empower young people in the region to envision the future of Appalachia while honoring its heritage.
Supported by ETSU Honors College and the university’s Center for Rural Education, the project introduces students to core concepts by connecting them to Appalachian culture and community.
“I see so many students struggling with staying connected because education feels so distant to them,” Hensley said. “Whenever you bring it home to them, then they see the connection.”
Megan Heimbach, assistant director of honors programs, opened the event by emphasizing the importance of ETSU’s “Go Beyond the Classroom” initiative and the role of community-based learning.
“Community-engaged learning is about creating pathways for our students to be more integrated, and honestly, the ability to do cool things,” Heimbach said.
Heimbach introduced Andrew Jones, a health sciences student and Changemaker scholar, who spoke about how the program and community-based learning helped him realize a passion for rural education.
Dawn Rowe, professor in ETSU’s Clemmer College of Education and Human Development, shared how the Center for Rural Education’s involvement supports the project. She highlighted the value of Appalachian traditions as blueprints for solving current and future challenges. She said that the program aims to answer the question, “How can heritage inform solutions for today’s challenges?”
Another supporter of the program is the XQ Institute, a nonprofit organization that reimagines high school experiences for students. The institute has been involved with Hensley since EHS became part of their national initiative. XQ Institute’s Sarah Navarro, chief of schools and systems, and Edward Montalvo, director of educator network, attended the event and discussed their program.
Elizabethton High School students Helen Hackett and Kinslee Carder shared personal reflections on the meaning of Appalachia and the importance of expanding Appalachian education.
More information about the project is available on Instagram @appalachianfuturismproject.
