40 years of changing lives—one child at a time.

WYN’s History

  • 1985

    Watauga Youth Network (WYN) formed.

    Gayle Combs is the first Executive Director and Marion Durham is the first Board Chair. WYN is housed in the New River Mental Health building and receives its first grant–the Governor’s One-on-One Grant–to fund the first WYN program, “Friends,” a mentoring program for court involved youth.

  • WYN’s Second Program

    “The Youth Resource Center” (After School) is added along with the WYN Summer Program to serve at-risk and court-involved youth.

    1987

  • 1989

    Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Program (YSAP)

    is established as a county-wide substance abuse prevention program for Watauga County youth. Also, the WYN offices move from New River Mental Health to a storefront on Howard Street.

  • Board of Directors begin an intensive $300,000 campaign

    to renovate and occupy the Old Junaluska School (originally built in 1960 as Watauga County’s segregated school).

    1990

  • 1992

    Staff move into the newly renovated

    Junaluska property and establish a long-term lease for $1 per year with WAMY Community Action.

  • WYN receives funding from High Country United Way

    and the DJJDP Support Our Students (SOS) initiative to begin working with all middle graders in Watauga County; not just those facing difficulties in the court system or at school.

    1994

  • 2002

    WYN Mentoring

    expands to Avery County

  • After School expands

    to two sites in Watauga County—one east and one west

    2004

  • 2005

    WYN celebrates its 20th Anniversary

    and changes its name from Watauga Youth Network to Western Youth Network.

  • Jennifer Warren becomes Executive Director

    2006

  • 2009

    Substance Abuse Prevention Program expands

    to serve more youth in Watauga County and to make services available to students in Avery, Alleghany, Wilkes, and Ashe Counties.

  • WYN begins remodeling the Junaluska property

    with grant funding provided by The Clabough Foundation and The Glass Foundation; WYN hosts inaugural Wish Upon a Star Gala at Blowing Rock Country Club; the WYN Legacy Fund was established by an anonymous donor; the WYN Mentoring Program hires a dedicated Avery Mentoring Program Coordinator.

    2014

  • 2015

    WYN celebrates 30th Anniversary

    WYN pilots a school-based mentoring program

  • High School programming

    added in Watauga County

    2018

  • 2019

    Community Health position added

    to support programming in Ashe/Alleghany counties; office space is added in Avery County.

  • Afterschool expands to Ashe County

    2020

  • 2021

    Afterschool expands to Alleghany County

    with sites in two elementary schools. WYN acquires two properties in Boone’s “wellness district” for future offices and a youth center.

  • Remodel of the pediatrician’s office

    to convert it to WYN’s new administrative office space and staff move in late fall.

    2023

  • 2024

    Hurricane Helene damages historic Watauga site

    and expedites the move of afterschool programs to new administration building on Doctors Dr. while we await construction of new youth center.

  • 2025

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