About
The Origin Project is an in-school writing program founded fourteen years ago by the late Nancy Bolmeier-Fisher and bestselling author Adriana Trigiani. The organization started with the idea that Appalachia’s stories are national treasures and its children should celebrate their roots.Â
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The Origin Project has grown organically from 40 students in Big Stone Gap to now having served over 25,000 students across the state. We regularly import renowned authors to visit the students, including David Baldacci, Barbara Kingsolver, Kate DiCamillo, Jeannette Walls, Meg Wolitzer, Margot Lee Shetterly, Mary Hogan, Laurie Eustis, Jarrett Krosoczka, Val Emmich, AJ Jacobs, Christopher Browne, Barry Gott and more.Â
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Each fall, our students are given a personal journal and thereafter work on multiple projects or stories that speak of and to their heritage. Their work is professionally published year-end in an anthology, presented to each student and made available in school and public libraries. The Origin Project is integrated with the Virginia Standards of Learning curriculum and collaborates with each student at their skill level to conceive, develop, and hone ideas into short stories, poems, plays, interviews, or other art.
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The students present their work aloud to their peers, parents, teachers, and guests, often at forums such as the Barter Theatre, Mountain Empire Community College, Emory & Henry University and the Library of Virginia. Virginia representatives including Governor Terry McAuliffe, Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, and former First Lady of Virginia Pamela Northam have joined our students for these presentations.Â
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We are grateful for organizations across the state of Virginia who open their doors to our students for our assemblies: The Library of Virginia, Emory & Henry University, Mountain Empire Community College, the Southwest Virginia Museum and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.Â
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The Origin Project participants come from diverse backgrounds, which includes disadvantaged students: foster children, low income and underserved populations, and children with learning differences. It is a community of engaged learners rejoicing in their heritages. The Origin Project galvanizes the students’ curiosity about, and respect for, each other.