Beyond The Classroom: How an Educational Nonprofit is Empowering Appalachian Girls
Article Written by Izzy Spence
The Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education (PAGE), founded by Deborah Hicks, began as a dream of providing young girls access to learning without financial restraints. What once humbly began with nine girls gathered in a compact room that lacked air conditioning has now blossomed into a multi-faceted program based in Marshall, North Carolina. Located in the Appalachian mountains, just north of Asheville, PAGE serves girls from the scenic area of Madison County. Bordering Tennessee, this sparsely populated, beautifully forested county is known for some magnetic spots, like whitewater rafting on the French Broad or strolling through Hot Springs.
Participants, who vary from rising sixth graders to college interns, are encouraged to explore, connect, and thrive in empowering spaces. The wide-ranging structure behind the program includes multi-media projects, interdisciplinary initiatives, critical-thinking literature groups, and many more creative undertakings.
From building honeybee habitats and crafting beautiful visual diaries to producing the PAGE podcast’s debut episodes, I had the privilege to be an intern and help run the projects last summer. The PAGE program radiates joy and illuminates the lives of its participants. In my short 7-weeks there, I was able to facilitate a supportive space where both the girls and I could grow, learn, and inspire one another. PAGE as a whole transcends the traditional classroom and commits to an extraordinary kind of learning rooted in hands-on, experiential education.
PAGE is an investment of time, energy, and passion to uplift the young girls of Madison County. In an effort to grasp the depth of this commitment, I had the opportunity to informally interview two PAGE contributors: Maia Surdam, an educator, historian, and remarkable baker who serves as the Program Director, and Hal Gensler, an accomplished undergraduate student, activist, former PAGE college intern who now leads the PAGE Podcast.
How might you describe PAGE?
Our mission is to empower girls and young women through education so they can grow into leaders and create the futures they determine for themselves. So, yes, education is central to what we do, but it's the people, and our relationships, that makes PAGE thrive.
I would describe PAGE as an innovative pedagogy or interdisciplinary classroom. The methods and materials used to engage girls are unique, providing skills to help boost their self-efficacy and interest in learning all together. The interns and staff involved, all have experience in niche or unique subjects.
What makes PAGE unique?
We are a group of people who value learning, not just the kind of learning that happens inside a classroom or school, but learning as a life-long process that is available to all of us, whether our youngest participants in 6th grade, our seasoned high school students, or myself, Debbie or Ryn, adults who spend time with PAGE girls on the ground, or with Deborah and the Board members as we figure out how to better run the organization. We're all constantly learning together. Another thing that I am proud of in PAGE: we're not afraid of change. We know that our programs need to adapt to meet the needs of the people who are PAGE, so we seek feedback and try to get better. For example, we recently had a lunch with our High School Fellows from the Summer of 2023. We reflected together on the Fellowship Program and asked their opinion on how to make it better.
PAGE is different compared to other student and youth programming I’ve done in the past, because of its opportunities for direct experiences with feminine leaders in various fields. Bringing people like Amelia, Natalie, and Joanna, create relationships and role models for students in ways I have not seen before.
How does PAGE empower you?
I've been working with the girls since 2018 and have been serving as the Program Director since 2020. Over the course of that time, a lot has changed in my personal life, too, and PAGE has been a grounding force for me. So, it's more than a job for me. It's helped me actively create a community and establish a sense of purpose beyond myself.
PAGE continuously motivates me through seeing the girls grow. Whether it was through a breakthrough moment in recording or editing the podcast or watching them truly click with a book’s message-its amazing to see them light up because of learning.
What aspect of PAGE will you keep with you, even after you leave?
I feel like I will always hold close to their ideas of learning from local resources first. I loved the ways they gathered local scientists, and carpenters, and included community members in the archival process. Even with their gardening and beekeeping efforts, they make sure to create spaces to uplift the natural landscape. Centering local community values for aiding environmental sustainability is so important, and PAGE does this incredibly well.
I'd like to give a special note of thanks to the PAGE program for the gratifying internship experience, and to Maia Surdam for her invaluable guidance. All of my admiration and appreciation to Deborah Hicks, Debbie Chandler, and Ryn McCall as well as my Program Leaders, Dr. Amelia Hruby and Joanna McKone. Lastly, my wholehearted gratitude to my fellow Berea College interns, Hal and Juno.
Additional Information
Currently, PAGE offers a variety of programs including After-School opportunities in the Spring and Fall, Summer Sessions in June and July, High School Fellowships, and College Internships. To learn more, connect with PAGE on their website
Berea students can intern with PAGE! Check out the application here
And don’t miss the PAGE Podcast on Spotify: The PAGE Podcast!