When Hygiene Affects School Attendance

Kids who don’t feel clean sometimes stay home from school out of embarrassment

In the northern part of Pike County, Kentucky lies the Belfry community, which pertains to the Thacker Coalfield. Years ago, there were active mines there; but today, the mines are no longer worked, and many parents of our sponsored and unsponsored kids have found themselves scrambling to find jobs – none of which pay as well as working in the mines did. Most available employment is in the service industry, such as at convenience marts […]

Art for the Soul and the Mind

Our coordinator at Belfry Elementary School in Kentucky wants to use art to help children in need

When we think about what constitutes a well-rounded education for a child, what might first pop into our heads are academic subjects like math, science, and English. The arts, though, can have just as much of a significant impact on a child’s development, character, and personality as other core subjects. This is exactly why our volunteer coordinator at our affiliated project Belfry Elementary School is working hard to bring an arts camp to children enrolled […]

Businesses Supporting Students

At Pike County Central High School, kids are receiving extra help, thanks to local businesses

Pike County Central High School is the largest of five high schools in Pike County, Kentucky, with an enrollment of approximately 720 students. On a recent trip to Pike County, our U.S. Projects Specialist, Shelley Oxenham, met with our volunteer coordinator at the school, whose name is also Shelley. Our volunteer coordinator Shelley is the Youth Services Center (YSC) coordinator for the school; she describes the YSC as a safe space for all students of […]

Understanding Peru

What you might not know about one of South America’s most unique countries

Located along South America’s central-western coast, Peru includes arid Pacific coastlands, spectacular mountain ranges and vast Amazon rainforest. This land has been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, including the Inca Empire, which constructed Peru’s most iconic landmark, Machu Picchu. Peru’s rich culture, breathtaking beauty and wealth of natural resources, however, belie the abject poverty in which many of its residents live. Many rural areas are still recovering from the Sendero Luminoso terrorist […]

Grandparents As Parents

At Bevins Elementary School in Kentucky, a new initiative focuses on helping grandparents who are raising their grandkids

Bevins Elementary School lies in the easternmost region of Kentucky, in beautiful Pike County. This area was once a prosperous and thriving one, when its coal and timber industries were booming. The mountain passes and rugged terrain, while suitable for mining and logging, have effectively blocked other types of industries from settling in this part of the state. Thus, as mines closed, those who had spent their lives working underground could not find new employment […]

High Enrollment and High Hopes in Kentucky

Valley Elementary School serves nearly 1,000 children in Pike County

Nestled in picturesque mountains and steeped in a rich cultural heritage, Pike County is situated in the very heart of Appalachia – an economically depressed area that stretches from the Virginias to Tennessee and Kentucky. This was once a thriving region, as a result of the success of its then bustling coal and lumber industries. In 1994, however, the Eastern Division of The Pittston Company closed its coal mines. Unfortunately, rugged terrain has effectively blocked […]