Join us in helping schools in Western NC become hubs of resilience, healing, and innovation!
This year, we're actively seeking support to expand our impact for The WNC Resilience Project.
The WNC Resilience Project recently held a two-day workshop, gathering over 70 educators and community leaders to collaboratively explore innovative educational solutions in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
The WNC Resilience Project recently initiated a community-oriented educational initiative in Western North Carolina, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The goal of this initiative is to reimagine education by leveraging local strengths and cultural resilience. Over 70 participants from 18 school districts attended a two-day workshop on January 28-29, including educators, counselors, civic leaders, and nonprofit representatives.
The event began with a grounding exercise that connected attendees through shared experiences from the disaster, emphasizing the essential role schools play during such crises. The workshop focused on six interconnected strands—resilience projects, credentialing pathways, leadership development, mental health supports, community connections, and future design.
Utilizing design-thinking templates, participants collaborated to generate innovative solutions to educational challenges, guided by the question "how might we?" Ben Owens, co-founder of Open Way Learning, reflected on the event as a catalyst for positive change, highlighting the shared commitment among educators and community leaders to develop a more resilient educational ecosystem. The ideas generated during this event will be presented to potential funders for implementation, signifying the start of a transformative journey in addressing the needs of the community post-Hurricane Helene.