Brooke Huynh

From Moho to Mountains: Exploring Alternative Education in Appalachia

This summer, I interned at High Rocks Education Corporation in Hillsboro, West Virginia, a program that seeks to empower young women in rural Appalachia. Through the act of teaching, I connected theory, and methodology, focusing on the relationship between educational pedagogy and dominant models of education.  I worked with students individually and mentored students with their writing. Using my experience facilitating dialogues and exploring identities at Mount Holyoke, I was able to design workshops for students to advocate for self reflection. I integrated my educational background to the practical strategies of educational methodology, by sifting through diverse perspectives in a collaborative, conversational, and critical way. Walking away from this experience, I continue to question the meaning of education and how we can define for ourselves our own values and identities within education.