Meet Rayleigh
Rayleigh is a vibrant, gentle-hearted homeschooled High School junior with a passion for connecting with others through the arts. Whether culinary or visual, Rayleigh’s insights find strong footing in her artistic approaches. Rayleigh first joined PAGE in the summer of 2023 as a sophomore. That summer was so impactful, she’s been attending year round during our after school sessions and summer labs ever since.
Rayleigh’s zest for life and desires to create, connect, and explore
manifestin a multitude of ways,
Though Rayleigh’s afternoons and weekends are already jam-packed, she still manages to create time to journey to other worlds through story. Rayleigh is a self described “total bookworm”. She shares, “I love to read. In 2024 I read 30 books and over 11,000 pages. For 2025 I am doing an alphabet book challenge where I read a book that starts with every letter of the alphabet!” You’ll often notice Rayleigh sporting a hand-painted set of denim shorts that feature a Gryffindor emblem found in her favorite series, Harry Potter. It is in these thoughtful touches that you really come to understand Rayleigh as a heart-forward, thoughtful, artistic young woman.
from crafting handmade gifts for friends and family members to hiking the local Blue Ridge Mountains. Beyond artistic endeavors, Rayleigh is a dedicated and passionate runner in both the spring and fall as a part of Track and Field at Madison Early College High School and the Cross Country Team.
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“Running track has not only helped me physically but also mentally. It has helped me learn time management skills. I have to balance school, practice, track meets and the PAGE after-school program. It can be a lot, but learning time management I know will help me in the future.”
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Track has really helped Rayleigh sink into a routine and maintain a schedule. As someone who likes to stay active, track offers Rayleigh the opportunity to be consistent, to grow and maintain relationships, and to set goals for herself. This spring, in 2026, Rayleigh set the school record for hurtling and placed third in the state. Her hard work and dedication have really paid off, and these successes exemplify the ways Rayleigh commits herself to all of her endeavors.
Rayleigh learned about the High School Fellowship as a tenth grader in the spring 2024, and decided to set her sights on becoming a fellow the following summer of 2025. She made sure all of her other commitments would accommodate her participation during the summer, and, with her ducks in a row and her excitement mounting, she submitted an application to the leadership team.
When reflecting on what drew her to the High School Fellowship, Rayleigh shares,
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“I applied for the PAGE fellowship because I love PAGE and their mission to educate Appalachian girls. I have been able to learn many different skills, like how to interview people. When I did this {oral histories} project, it gave me a sense of what to expect in an interview when applying for jobs. With PAGE I am able to learn many more skills that are useful after high school and the PAGE Fellowship is a perfect opportunity to learn more and put the skills I already have to use.”
Through the three-week intensive of the High School Fellowship summer program, Rayleigh was able to uncover and pursue steps toward her future. “After high school I am hoping to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Perhaps even combining my passion for baking and the documentary arts by creating a cookbook utilizing communal recipes.”
Rayleigh particularly enjoyed the Documentary Arts Photo Essay Project she completed during the summer intensive portion of the fellowship.
“I’ve always loved photography, so having a camera to take professional pictures with and having the resources to do this helped me to realize I can do this professionally if I want to.”
Rayleigh is set to present her final capstone to the middle school cohort during After School Programming in the spring of 2026.
Under the guidance of her mentor, documentary artist Jenny Stratton, Rayleigh crafted and published a cookbook that features photos and stories of local Madison County cooks entitled “Home Cooked Vol. 1”. She shares,
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“I named it volume one because this is something I’d like to add to. I really enjoyed this project. “I was able to hear stories of Appalachia, the histories behind these recipes and why they matter to the people who inherit, cook, and enjoy them”.
To complete this capstone, Rayleigh utilized her skills in oral history capture, photography, narrative writing, and sequencing to create a rich tapestry of food ways here in Marshall. This final capstone combined Rayleigh’s love of food, visual arts, and community connection. We’re inspired by the intersections she’s found in this project, and we’re proud of the hard work she dedicated to such a rich piece of media.