PINEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) -Emmie Dishman is making a big impact, working behind the scenes in her Pineville community.
Dishman works behind the scenes in video production and social media for Pineville High school, while also completing a social media internship with the Chamber of Commerce.
She is using her newly-found passions to show the world what Eastern Kentucky is all about.
“We’re a small region and we don’t get a lot of love. We don’t get a lot of attention, but we’re a really special area and I think it’s important for everyone to know that,” she said. “To see what’s really going on here.”
Dishman said working with video production and social media has shown her the impact of sharing stories.
She helped create Corner 26, a program in the school that provides personal hygiene products and other necessities to middle school and high school students.
“It’s like a discreet way for our Middle School and High School students to get things that they may need at home. Like personal hygiene products, toothbrushes, and anything else,” she said.
The school produced a news story about the program and received community support on social media.
“It got lots of feedback. It got all kinds of likes on Facebook,” Dishman said. “And I think what the most beautiful part about that was our community responded beautifully. They donated so much and really helped us.”
Dishman said the senior class wanted to leave something lasting at the school.
“To leave a mark. We didn’t wanna leave the school, just graduate and go. We wanted to have something where it’s like, ‘we did this.’ And we wanna help other students for the future years,” she said.
She is taking her talents and passion into college next year, making plans to keep working in the field.
She plans to study strategic communication in college with support from scholarships including the Ralph Gabbard Memorial Scholarship, which she received during the 2025 Mountain Classic Scholarship Awards Banquet.
“Sometimes, it can be discouraging to even wanna go to college. Because, it’s like you’re looking at all the bills and the big numbers and it’s like … I just can’t do it,” she said. “But when you have things like this and getting the scholarship it really just it gives me hope that I can.”
Dishman said she wants to continue telling regional stories after graduation and she is proud to be supported with the memory of a mountain broadcast legend like Gabbard, who brought WYMT to the mountains.
“I want everybody to see what this place really is, what really happens here. And I’d love to be that person who gets the word out, who records stuff, who goes to events and shows everybody what’s going on. And I’d love to stay in this area and show everybody that,” she said.
Dishman is one of three winners of this year’s memorial scholarships. We will have a look at the other recipients Thursday and Friday on WYMT.
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