My sense of purpose has only deepened in the three years of the CALL program. This includes how I am more intentional with my time and how I have grown in my leadership for how I serve my community, beyond my professional work. I feel more confident in myself and my abilities to be a leader in my community.

I have a genuine sense of what it means to be Appalachian now that I did not have before, and that sense is rooted in people I have met across the region. Their stories, their challenges, and their successes have drawn a picture of what Appalachia is and can be.

The CALL program has altered the trajectory of my life. Several certifications, a doctorate and soon, a professional license have been the result of my participation in this program, and I am incredibly thankful.

Many of my proudest professional accomplishments over the past 3 years have been supported, inspired, or nourished in some way by CALL. The learning I have been able to do as a result of the CALL has helped expand research, teaching, and professional learning facilitation over the past three years.

This experience has been the highlight of my professional career. Getting to spend a day per quarter with brilliant people, in different communities, sharing ways to think about the problems we face.... it was incredible.

Network Weaving is alive and fully tangible in the CALL Fellowship. Giving space to bring people together around a common topic has created an amazing network of thought leaders and partners for systems change in Central Appalachia.

I grew up on a mile-long gravel driveway, and the Lab feels like coming home.

When I describe CALL to friends and colleagues, I say it is a place where leaders in education can meet leaders in other sectors to help them better understand the challenges that educators face. CALL was, for me, an opportunity to engage in debate and discussion about how to improve educational outcomes.

I was excited to network with and learn from other Lab members. I also love the idea of mid-career professional development. Opportunities like this are rare but so needed!

Being part of the inaugural Teach For America Appalachia Central Appalachian Leadership Lab Fellowship was transformative. The financial award supported both my growth and my passion projects—advancing a community garden, expanding career and technical education, and launching drone and flight simulation programs. The fellowship opened doors to meaningful connections and career-shaping networks across Appalachia. I learned that while rural challenges vary, shared solutions exist.

Not only have I gained a deeper understanding of the region but I feel a stronger sense of community.

I am energized by seeing individuals exercise creativity and resourcefulness. It is difficult to be in the CALL space and NOT wonder what opportunities for improvement you're overlooking in your own professional life.

Central Appalachia is standing at a unique moment in history, on the cusp of realizing one of the greatest economic turnarounds in our nation's history. As someone who grew up in this region, I was excited to share the cultural and natural assets that make the Kentucky Mountains unique. This work requires many of us contributing in lots of ways, and I was thrilled to connect with other leaders and see the possibilities of coordinated impact. These connections will make all of us stronger, and inform our work.

CALL has reaffirmed that I’m not in this alone.

CALL has revitalized my sense of belonging in the teaching profession while also encouraging me to "keep going."

I greatly appreciate the feeling of working towards a goal with a force of people who are in other communities but working with the passion and end result in mind. It at one point felt like I was alone in that pursuit in this community and now know that is not true.

I've never had a career coach before and it's been so helpful. Each session has been exactly what I needed.

CALL has provided an opportunity to learn through a new lens for looking at the world. Each member brought something different and added to my knowledge, challenged my thinking, and helped me grow.

The level of professionalism and sense of belonging that has been created and cultivated surpasses anything I have ever experienced before. I knew I would grow by being a part of CALL and I certainly have - but I didn't know I would form such a meaningful and significant community to be a part of.

I have LOVED traveling to different Appalachian communities that that I've never been to before despite growing up here.

CALL helped me break down silos and find connection points within various communities across Eastern Kentucky. This has helped me develop as a regional leader, instead of one that is just a school, district, or community leader.

The program has given me a different perspective on educational excellence through my engagement with educators in ways I've not experienced as much being in the healthcare field. It helps me think about the priority focus we have as an organization when outreaching and supporting the communities we serve in Appalachia.

I appreciate how intentional and thoughtful each convening is and have really found an incredible impressive group of individuals from the region I would have never otherwise met.