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THRIVE Appalachia: Turning Craft Heritage Into Career Opportunities for Rural Youth

Through mentorship with local artisans, THRIVE Appalachia equips Western North Carolina teens with practical skills rooted in the region’s rich craft legacy.

Elise Wilson

• 5 min read
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THRIVE Appalachia: Turning Craft Heritage Into Career Opportunities for Rural Youth

​Yancey County, North Carolina, is home to one of the highest concentrations of artists in the country. In this rural community, traditional skills such as pottery, sewing, and carpentry have been handed down for generations, anchoring a local economy founded on creativity and resourcefulness. Today, Burnsville nonprofit THRIVE Appalachia is expanding this legacy by creating hands-on learning experiences for youth, helping the next generation find their footing in a digital age where many manufacturing and tobacco-based agricultural jobs have disappeared.

THRIVE Appalachia (Together Hope Rises with Innovation, Vision, and Education) works with teens ages 12–18 across six Western North Carolina counties. The program teaches marketable skills, pairs young people with accomplished local artisans, bakers, and craftspeople, and encourages them to take charge of their learning. So far, THRIVE Appalachia teens have created a thriving ice cream business, launched a fashion line and annual show that’s brought in over $17,000, built a timber-frame studio from reclaimed wood after Hurricane Helene, and completed apprenticeships with local masters.

At the helm is Executive Director Pana Columbus, who believes the region’s economic future depends on investing in its youth. In this episode, Pana sits down with ArtsvilleUSA’s Elise Wilson to discuss how THRIVE Appalachia is shaping the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and stewards of Appalachian craft.

Highlights From Our Conversation With Pana Columbus

  • Early in her career, Pana worked with teens in foster and kinship care. She saw a gap between what most youth programs offered and what young people actually need to succeed as adults. [8:42]
  • A simple ice cream-making class turned into something much bigger. What started as a lesson became a teen-run business, selling over 1,100 gallons and landing products on the shelves at Carriage House Sundries, Wild Violet, DT’s Coffee, and TRACTOR Food and Farms. [14:47]
  • At the annual Fashion & Passion Show, THRIVE Appalachia teens design and sell jackets made from wool sourced from local farms and spinneries. They even forge their own buttons. [16:01]
  • A three-week glassblowing class at Hearth Glass & Gallery—a family-run studio with six generations of experience—was just the beginning for one Mitchell County teen. That first lesson led to a $25-per-hour paid apprenticeship and a promising new career. [22:39]
  • The decline of manufacturing in Appalachia has opened doors for creative entrepreneurship. By partnering with nonprofits like THRIVE Appalachia, teens can try out business ideas without the financial strain of rent or overhead. [31:17]
  • After Hurricane Helene, THRIVE Appalachia teens salvaged downed trees and constructed their own timber-frame carpentry studio using time-honored mortise-and-tenon joinery. [30:41]
  • A book club led Pana to a new idea: Maybe the opposite of convenience is community. [41:37]

Quotables

  • "Every teenager, without exception, is an enthusiastic learner under the right conditions. And we believe those conditions are that they choose what they're learning about, and that the learning methodology is hands-on and experiential." — Pana Columbus [02:01]
  • "Convenience is the opposite of community. If I don't need people and I can do everything by myself, I am alone." — Pana Columbus [41:37]
  • "There's still enough elders around who remember how to build stone walls, how to do timber frame construction, how to can, how to grow, how to raise animals. It's not too late. I think we're onto something." — Pana Columbus [47:01]
  • "Listen to your heart. What makes you come alive? What brings you joy? What do you want to learn about? And find a way. Protect your enthusiasm. It is so precious—it is your soul's joy and delight." — Pana Columbus [55:07]

Mentions & Connections

  • THRIVE Appalachia, Burnsville: Free youth program serving teens ages 12–18 from Yancey, Mitchell, Avery, Buncombe, and Madison counties
  • Hearth Glass & Gallery, Burnsville: Sixth-generation glass family in Western North Carolina; THRIVE Appalachia apprenticeship partner
  • Carriage House Sundries, Burnsville: restaurant and ice cream parlor carrying ice cream handmade by THRIVE Appalachia teens
  • Wild Violet, Burnsville: Health food store offering ice cream pints from THRIVE Appalachia
  • TRACTOR Food and Farms, Spruce Pine: Local nonprofit food hub serving Western North Carolina farmers and consumers will carry THRIVE Appalachia ice cream in their new storefront
  • Well Spring Farm, Burnsville: Sheep farm and field trip partner who inspired THRIVE Appalachia's textile and fashion program
  • Hilltop Ice Cream, Fairview: Local ice cream maker who mentored THRIVE Appalachia teens during their early production days
  • Mayland Community College, Spruce Pine: Nearby institution with an early college program where THRIVE Appalachia teens can earn associate's degrees while still in high school
  • WNC Bridge Foundation: Grant funder for THRIVE Appalachia's timber-frame carpentry studio
  • Community Foundation of Western North Carolina Human Services Grant: Supported the construction of THRIVE Appalachia's carpentry studio
  • Yancey Child Collaborative: Local partner involved in THRIVE Appalachia's campus development

Get Involved/Where to Find More

  • Enroll a Teen: THRIVE Appalachia is free and open to ages 12–18. Visit ThriveAppalachia.org and click "Contact" to get started. A program manager will follow up with a personal call.
  • Attend the Fashion & Passion Show: THRIVE Appalachia's third annual event takes place Friday, September 18 at 4 p.m. at the Burnsville Town Center. Teens' fashion collections will be live-auctioned. Tickets are available here.
  • Become a mentor or teaching artist: Contact Pana directly through the website to schedule coffee. The more she knows about your skills and passions, the better she can connect you with the right young person when the opportunity arises.
  • Donate: Your support helps provide supplies, equipment, teacher stipends, and brings THRIVE Appalachia one step closer to their most pressing need: a permanent campus in Yancey County. If you have acreage in Yancey County and want to be part of something extraordinary, please reach out.

Contact & Socials

Episode Credits

All photos published with permission of THRIVE Appalachia.