Full Circle

BY KIM KOBERSMITH

Sarah Marks was part of the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) family before she was even born. Part of CAP’s original mission was providing jobs in her hometown of McKee, Kentucky. Her Papaw had a forestry degree from the University of Kentucky and was hired to oversee a new sawmill. He later was able to purchase the mill and clear the land that is now Camp AJ.

Marks loved hearing her father’s stories of attending the camp. One favorite breakfast activity was when campers had to find their cereal boxes and fruit which was hidden in the trees before they could eat. Her father also recalled the esteem that residents held – and still hold – CAP in the community, when nuns would drive all over the county and pick up kids for a week at camp.

“CAP is always a big part of the community because of the good work it does,” said Marks, who is 17 and operates her own photography business. “CAP people are exceptional. They care so much about their work, the region, and the people they serve.”

Last summer, she added her own stories to the CAP family tradition as a teen leader at Camp AJ. Even though the residential experience was canceled because of the pandemic, she said the spirit of camp lived on. The staff went out into the community to lead programs at elementary schools, help at Grateful Threadz Thrift Store, and work at community food distributions.

Marks’s own respect for CAP’s work was part of her impetus for serving as an AmeriCorps member last summer. “There is an epidemic of voluntourism other places, but CAP does work that is wanted in the region,” she said. “They build long-term relationships with participants and are a consistent presence.”

Academically driven, Marks excels at school. The valedictorian and president of her graduating class, she earned 38 college credits in high school through dual-credit classes. She is now a student at the challenging Centre College, working towards a behavioral neuroscience major on a pre-med track with a minor in studio arts.

Sarah Marks’s ties to CAP’s Camp AJ started with her grandfather, pictured at far right, who helped clear the land for the camp.

Partly because of her service with CAP, Marks has realized that is not enough. “Academics is important because I want to be a doctor, but I can’t just focus on academics,” she said. “I need to care for people in the community and be empathetic.” Service work has given her a different perspective, a willingness to understand what people are going through and how she can best be of help. Serving at Camp AJ this summer gave her the opportunity – the privilege – to serve in her own community and brought her family story full circle.

As Marks looks to the future, she wants to make a difference in her home region. While she may return this summer to serve with CAP again, she aspires to finish medical school and return to Appalachia after gaining experience. “There is something incredibly special about the region, so much that you can’t get anywhere else,” she said. “I want to give back in the way Appalachia has given to me.”

There is something incredibly special about the region, so much that you can’t get anywhere else. I want to give back in the way Appalachia has given to me.

— Sarah Marks

A former camper and a teen leader at Camp AJ, Sarah Marks, 17, now attends Centre College and operates her own photography business.