Appalachian Teaching Project (ATP)

 
The Community Partnership Center has represented the University of Tennessee in the Consortium of Appalachian Centers of Learning since the program’s inception in 1999. This consortium, sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), is composed of more than a dozen colleges, universities, and community colleges from the Appalachia that are dedicated to improving the quality of life of residents in the region.

As part of its commitment to the consortium, the CPC teaches a service learning class each Fall dedicated to promoting sustainable economic development in one of Tennessee’s distressed Appalachian communities. Each fall, students from the university work with leaders and residents of an Appalachian County to help them create jobs and promote their economies while preserving their natural and cultural resources. At the end of the semester, students travel to Washington, where they present their project and findings before the leadership of the ARC.

Over the past few years, these student led initiatives have had a lasting impact on a number of Tennessee communities and have resulted in positive outcomes, including:

• A major plastics recycling plant in Cocke County

• A wireless network in Newport

• Increased eco-tourism opportunities in Cocke, Meigs and Morgan Counties

• A greater appreciation for sustainable development practices across the region