The Struggle to Stay: Crystal Snyder Finds her Path

On this West Virginia Morning, the out-migration of people leaving Appalachia is nothing new. Folks have been heading for the cities elsewhere for generations to find work and new opportunities.

Still, there are a few here who are determined to stay. But for them, staying is also a struggle. That’s why West Virginia Public Broadcasting and our podcast Inside Appalachia have been following six people for about a year to see how they are managing to stay… and if they can find a way to support their family here in Appalachia.

Lately we’ve been following Crystal Snyder’s journey as she started a job-training program called Refresh Appalachia. She’s also going to a community college, working on her associate’s degree in applied science. Crystal is a single mom, and it hasn’t been easy to balance school, work and family responsibilities. Roxy Todd picks back up with Crystal’s story as she was preparing for a meeting with her supervisors. A quick warning to parents, there are some parts of this story, that might not be suitable for kids.