BUCKHANNON — Appalachian Impact, a local nonprofit committed to building hope for students through mentoring and leadership development, is excited to announce the hiring of Julie McCourt as its new Program Coordinator.
Julie is an experienced educator with a passion to see children thrive through meaningful relationships. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
After teaching in Upshur County for 7 years, Julie has been raising her family and serving the local community in a variety of ways. In her new role, she will be responsible for developing and expanding the work of Appalachian Impact’s mentoring and community involvement programs. Working through the WV’s Promise Alliance for Youth, Julie will be focused on raising up and training more mentors and seeing students thrive through meaningful relationships and positive youth programming.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Julie jump into the work of Appalachian Impact,” said Justin Bowers, Director of Appalachian Impact. “We have been working hard the past couple of years to build a strong infrastructure, renovate the Yellow Door at Hampton (the former Hampton Community Building), and set the stage for the expansion of our programs. This partnership with WV’s Promise to solidify funding for this position comes at a pivotal time as we’re ready to move to the next level. Julie is an exceptional leader, educator, and community servant.”
Julie is currently working to build more mentoring opportunities for local community members through effective after school programming and partnerships. She will also be focusing on new opportunities for Appalachian Impact as the organization continues to grow.
“Since my children are both in school now, I decided it was time to put my talents to use outside of the home. The opportunity to work with Appalachian Impact came my way and it seemed like the perfect fit,” stated Julie. “Building relationships with students is what I miss most about being in the classroom. As a former educator, I know how many students in our community need a special person that they can connect with. My hope is to create programming that helps bring mentors to these students and encourages them to be their best selves”
Appalachian Impact is training new community members as student mentors throughout the summer. Their annual fundraising gala will take place at The Outpost Event Center on October 19, 2024, and tickets go on sale July 24th. For more information regarding becoming a mentor or donating or attending the gala, contact Julie at julie@appalachianimpact.org.
