About Us
YES-App Team
YES-App scholar recruitment
YES-App currently serves 77 scholars from Ashe and Watauga counties in Western North Carolina. Scholars are identified and selected from the following 7 public schools in the Appalachian region of North Carolina:
Bethel School
Cove Creek School
Green Valley School
Mabel School
Blue Ridge Elementary School
Mountain View Elementary School
Westwood Elementary School
YES-Appalachia works with teachers and administrators at these schools to identify promising students in 6th grade. Once students are nominated by their teachers, YES-App staff carries out comprehensive evaluations of all applicants. Essential components of the YES-App application include:
Grades
EOG scores
Assessment questionnaires for nominated students and their parents/guardians
Annual household income documentation
All nominated students are interviewed in their schools by YES-App staff in order to gather a holistic profile of each student. YES scholars are ultimately selected based upon their academic agility, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and emotional maturity.
YES-Appalachia Programming
YES-App programming is comprised of three scaffolded phases, each of which focuses on developing a set of core skills that propel our scholars' holistic growth. A fourth phase--one focused on college retention and graduation, as well as career placement--has recently been implemented into YES-App programming now that our first cohort of scholars have begun their college journey.
Phase I - Middle School
Phase II - High School
Phase III- College Prep
Rising 7th and 8th grade attend weekly in-school sessions that focus on logic and the notion of math as a language. Additionally, they partake in our own in-house summer camps, which focus on developing a strong sense of community amongst scholars, as well as test prep aimed at preparing them as strong candidates for national talent search programs and for independent schools.
High school scholars transition to monthly in-school sessions that focus on test prep, academic counseling, college guidance, and socio-emotional wellness. Personalized support is offered to each scholar to ensure that they are being challenged academically. 9th grade scholars create a 4-year college readiness plan that aligns with the requirements needed to earn North Carolina Academic Endorsements on their high school diplomas.
Throughout high school, YES-App scholars receive academic support, SAT preparation, access to summer programs tailored to their interests, and a strong YES peer network. Scholars and their families are also offered one-on-one guidance to help them navigate college applications, financial aid, and determining the best "fit" college for each scholar.
did you know?
YES-Appalachia is one of four branches of the Young Eisner Scholars (YES) organization. In 2015, YES partnered with the College Access Partnerships Department at Appalachian State University and established the Appalachian branch in Boone, NC. YES-Appalachia is the newest branch of the YES organization, and the only one that supports rural students.