Wes Davis Explores the WNC Resilience Project's Impact on Education in Getting Smart Article

The WNC Resilience Project emerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, emphasizing the importance of educational resilience through place-based and student-centered approaches. This initiative, supported by various organizations, seeks to transform adversity into opportunities for innovation and healing within school communities.

As part of our early efforts to bring ideas to life, we offered a series of microgrants to support school- and community-led prototypes across the region. These were intentionally light-touch and flexible in order to catalyze action, not prescribe it. What followed was inspiring: students restoring riverbanks and planting native species, designing and testing 3D-printed wind turbines, launching trauma-informed SEL programs, and exploring new ways to credential real-world student work.

Notable educators like Tucker Waldron at the School for Inquiry and Life Sciences Asheville (SILSA) are leading outdoor learning initiatives, where students engage with their natural surroundings and foster interpersonal connections. Programs such as the "What's Next" Workforce Development Program cater to local youth, providing them with hands-on work experience and support that reflects their community’s needs. Additionally, social-emotional learning (SEL) is prioritized at Ira B. Jones Elementary, with initiatives that help students process their experiences and build a sense of belonging.

The project's essence lies in building relationships, fostering real-world learning, and empowering students as co-creators of change, creating a model for future educational practices that intertwine healing with learning. As the project continues to evolve, it aims to inspire greater community involvement and innovation within educational systems across North Carolina and beyond.