OUR VISION
Appalachian youth are safe, healthy, and supported to reach their educational and leadership potential.
Who We Are
Through wraparound support from cradle to career, we strive to provide underserved youth in Central Appalachia with the tools and opportunities they need to shape their own futures.
Our Programs
From our youngest scholars to our post-secondary Thompson Collegiates, we see the transformative power of meeting children where they are.
IMPACT STORIES
Our results prove what happens when barriers are removed and every child receives what they need to thrive.
From First-Year Team to National Competitor: The LEGO Lions Roar
What began as a brand-new robotics program became an extraordinary first season—one that carried the Thompson Scholars LEGO Lions from Clay County, Kentucky, all the way to the national stage.
During the 2025–2026 season, LEGO Lions team members learned to design, build, program, and continually refine an autonomous robot...
Preserving Traditions, Strengthening Community
In Appalachia, canning and quilting are more than practical skills. They are expressions of creativity, resourcefulness, and care—traditions carried across generations through time spent working and learning together.
With support from a Berea College Appalachian Fund Arts & Culture grant, Thompson Scholars created opportunities for children and families to experience these traditions firsthand through our Canning and Quilting Programs....
Restoring Dignity at Potter Cemetery
At Potter Cemetery, Thompson Scholars began with a simple conviction: every life deserves to be remembered, and every resting place deserves to be treated with dignity.
Dense brush and vegetation had overtaken the historic cemetery, making the grounds difficult to access and obscuring many of the stories held there. Our scholars accepted the responsibility of helping reclaim the site and preserve an important part of their community’s history...
Our Partners
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Do you have questions about us, our programs, volunteering, or making a donation?
Inquire By Mail
PO Box 347 | Manchester, KY 40962
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