What do flint knapping, circle dancing, quilting, and fishing have in common?

All are integral pieces of eastern Kentucky’s cultural fabric. For two days in June, 37 young people from Carter, Elliott, and Lawrence counties immersed themselves in these and other traditional Appalachian activities at an “Appalachian Adventure” at Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonsburg.

The participants—all enrolled in the Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency’s Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Transition Program—got some hands-on experience and came away with a greater appreciation of the history and culture of the region they call home.

Activities also included caning chairs, weaving baskets, and cutting wood from logs to craft walking sticks—all done the “old fashioned way” with traditional tools. The youths also participated in workshops highlighting Appalachian cooking, music, poetry, and storytelling.

The two-day program was led by experienced artisans affiliated with Open Ground, a non-profit organization based in Harrodsburg that specializes in encouraging positive interaction through the arts and cultural activities. Youths from the Appalachian Teen Leaders Program at the Cowan Community Center in Letcher County also provided peer-to-peer guidance in the activities.

The aim of the program was not to create a new generation of Appalachian craftsmen, but to help dispel stereotypes and instill a sense of pride among the youths about the rich traditions of their region, according to Joletta Morgan, director of the Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency’s WIA Youth Program.

“Roots will bend but they’ll never break,” Morgan said. “These kids may go out into a big world and go into any number of careers, but they will always know what home is, and that gives them a sense of stability in life.

“They will know where they are going, but they will always know where came from, too,” Morgan said, “and they can indeed be proud of that.”

Morgan explained that the activities also meshed perfectly into the framework of the WIA Youth Program, which provides a broad array of year-round services including: tutoring, study skills, alternative schooling, leadership development, mentoring, guidance and counseling. Participating teens and young adults can also be placed in both public and private-sector work experience jobs that match their interests and teach career skills.

The WIA Youth Program is administered by the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP), and provided locally through the Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency in Carter, Elliott, and Lawrence counties.

All youths who were involved in the Jenny Wiley trip are participants in Northeast’s WIA Youth Transition Program, which serves young people who are still in school. Morgan said the program—named “Youthscape”—places students in activities and services that encourage them and enable them to earn a high school diploma or equivalent, and enter college, postsecondary training, or sustainable employment.

The core components of Youthscape, Morgan added, involve empowering students to develop a positive self image through education, group leadership activities, individual mentoring, and interaction with peers and strong leaders.

“Anytime we do these group activities, it improves their social skills and better prepares them for a variety of social situations,” Morgan said. “When they build on the knowledge they have, they’re becoming more well-rounded, and developing leadership skills they’ll need in any setting.”

Before returning home from the event, the youths traveled to nearby Johnson County to tour the Mountain Homeplace, a re-created working farm like those maintained by eastern Kentucky’s Scotch-Irish settlers of the mid- to late-1800s.

“The entire experience was an eye-opening one for our youths,” Morgan said. “By exploring these activities, we ensure that our heritage, culture, and things that brought us joy are not lost, and are preserved for future generations.”

Besides Morgan, Northeast staffers who participated in the event included Debbie Jones, Brenda Shumate, Bonnie Conn, Stephanie Kitchen, Kyle Burchett, and Becky Roar.