MARSHALL —More than two months after Hurricane Helene tore through Madison County, recovery is well underway. Amid the rebuilding efforts, an inspiring form of relief has emerged for adolescent girls in the historic town of Marshall: gardening, creating art, practicing yoga and singing cherished ballads handed down through generations of Appalachian musicians.
Leading these efforts is the Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education (PAGE), a nonprofit organization empowering girls in grades 6-12 with meaningful educational experiences and compassionate mentorship. Many of these young women face significant challenges, from the uncertainty to struggles with mental health.
Founded in 2010, PAGE was built on a vision to help rural girls dream big and acquire the tools they need to build successful futures. When the storm hit, newly appointed executive director Rebecca Stephens and other PAGE personnel jumped into action, drawing on years of trust and connection within the community. With swift and heartfelt determination, they reached out through phone calls, social media and home visits to ensure their girls were accounted for.
Yet as the immediate crisis passed, they recognized that healing from such devastation would require more than physical safety. It would demand a strong, nurturing network to help the girls navigate the emotional toll of the storm — particularly after the isolation of the pandemic.
Within just three weeks, PAGE established a temporary base of operations in a trailer behind Madison Middle School because their office downtown was destroyed. Stephens and her team quickly mobilized, delivering more than 100 care packages filled with essential items, such as food and hygiene products, as well as educational materials, like STEM kits, books, and recipes. They established after-school self-care offerings to help the girls process what had happened and encouraged them to participate in hurricane relief however they could.
“After any difficult, traumatic event, it is vital to have time to process and heal in a space that promotes things like creativity and friendship, as the after-school program does,” Amy Stemann, PAGE literature program coordinator, said. “It is also awesome for me as a teacher to get to know some of my current and future students in a different context than the academic classroom.”
One high schooler, Destiny Chandler, served at a hurricane relief station established in Lonesome Mountain Store. Chandler credits PAGE for equipping her with a new personal mission: “Helping people and any creatures I can. It made me realize how close we are as a community. And seeing people who had lost everything made me want to help them.”
The sky’s the limit for the types of projects and experiences PAGE offers adolescent girls of Appalachia. Originally founded as a humanities-based organization with a heavy focus on storytelling and the arts, they’ve recently expanded to include STEM activities, skilled labor training, and wellness practices.
“They get to meet a lot of women who are in science, which is exciting,” says Stephens.
In collaboration with various professionals in their field, PAGE provides interdisciplinary learning experiences that complement traditional education. The organization partners with UNC Asheville’s Skillset program to teach the girls carpentry and trade skills. Skillset plans to bring their mobile workshop van loaded with power tools for PAGE’s Summer Story Lab — a program in which the girls collect stories about Appalachian foodways and use their craftsmanship to build wooden picnic tables and eating utensils.
And in an incredible turn of events, these inspired young women made history by dipping their toes into the world of citizen science. Working with local scientist Pete Dixon, PAGE’s aquatic ecology program allowed the girls to connect with the teeming wildlife of Laurel Creek in new and innovative ways. They documented more than 50 different kinds of dragonfly nymphs and even discovered a rare species never before found in the area. Their findings were uploaded to the iNaturalist database and published in the scientific journal Argia. One participant was so inspired by the program she’s considering studying biology in college.
PAGE is as successful as it is because of the incredible team of dedicated leaders pouring their time and energy into the rising generation of female Appalachian trailblazers. Debbie Chandler is a shining example of this commitment. An essential member since day one, “Miss Debbie” has provided bus transportation for the girls, worked with school personnel to recruit fellows in need, and served as a “food angel” providing healthy meals.
A project near and dear to her heart is teaching the girls the old Appalachian ballads passed down through her family, songs that tell stories of survival and resilience. Through the healing power of music, Chandler reminds the girls of the lineage of strength from which they come. Board member Emily McGinty aptly describes her as “the glue that holds it all together.”
PAGE’s success is also fueled by the power of partnerships. Grants, private foundations and individual estate gifts enable the organization to remain free for participants while providing salaries for their four employees.
Staying true to its mission of supporting the local community, PAGE also pays stipends to program facilitators, many of whom are local educators. In this year alone, more than 100 donors contributed individual gifts, allowing even more young women to explore new possibilities.
Looking ahead, PAGE is currently seeking a STEM coordinator to expand its engineering and skilled labor training — equipping girls with tools to serve in hurricane relief efforts and break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
As PAGE continues to elevate educational experiences for young women and empower them to give back to their community, they humbly invite support to continue their innovative programming. This holiday season, consider contributing to PAGE’s mission by visiting their website at pageprograms.com or tinyurl.com/nsj-page.
Much like dragonfly nymphs emerging from water to spread their wings, the young women of Madison County are being given opportunities to transform their lives and futures through education. With the support of caring adults, these girls are achieving feats they once thought impossible. Stephens encapsulates the heart of PAGE’s mission.
“The voice of rural girls almost never makes it out of here,” she said. “These rural girls are important, and we need to tell their stories too.”
To listen to some reimagined Appalachia ballads, grab sister duo Rising Appalachia’s folk music album “Drenched in Place,” which celebrates mountain communities drenched in strength, love and beauty rising above the high waters. My particular favorite: “Stand like an Oak.” Hear the sisters’ music at risingappalachia.com.
