A blessing for the more than 1 million people who have read EdNC this year — who have trusted our news coverage, storytelling, and analysis. Our work would be nothing without the people who read it, engage with it, and then use it to impact the child care centers, schools, community colleges, and communities around them.
A blessing for our team — for Liz, Molly, Caroline, Alli, Eric, Emily, Anna, Katie, Derick, Lauren, Chantal, Laura, Ben, Rakyah, Chunyi, Sophia, Alessandra, and Cheyenne. For the work you do, the way you show up in the world, your leadership, and the people you are.
A blessing for Tara Kenchen and Kelley O’Brien, who support us and so many others.
A blessing for our board and strategic council, for your collective wisdom, expertise, and life experience that helps guide our team forward. We are better because of how you anchor us to our mission while dreaming with us to do and be more.
A blessing to our funders and supporters, who allow us to do what we do — traveling across North Carolina, visiting all 100 counties, rural and urban schools, all 58 community colleges, and places impacted by natural and economic disasters.
EdNC is each of us, together.
Most of all, a blessing to the 1.5 million students and the hundreds of thousands of educators and staff who welcome us to your places of work and learning. For your schools and community colleges to be places of discovery, safety, affirmation, support, and dreaming.
A blessing for western North Carolina, two months after Hurricane Helene hit the state as a Tropical Storm, leaving many areas in western North Carolina with unprecedented levels of flooding and devastation.
A blessing for all who came and helped — for emergency workers, volunteers, philanthropists, and faith leaders — and for all who have stayed. As much as has been lost or damaged, we are inspired by all the stories of people showing up, rolling up their sleeves, and doing what needs to be done to serve our students and our educators, our neighbors and our communities.
A blessing for all the “Godwinks” that found their way to people in need after the storm, offering signs of hope and reassurance that even on our worst days none of us are ever truly alone.
Godwinks like the beloved bus, #176, because when it was replaced by the state after it was totaled in the storm, it serendipitously had the same number.
Godwinks like how after the Old Fort Eagles were displaced from their elementary school, an eagle soared over head to welcome them to their new, temporary location.
Godwinks like the new school that was completed a year early, allowing students to relocate there after the storm.
Godwinks like the aurora borealis on Oct. 10, which educators saw and believed the beautiful phenomenon was sent to comfort them.
Godwinks like this national guardsman who sat down in the auditorium of Micaville Elementary and filled it with music one last time.
A blessing for the stories of kindness; of canned goods and potluck meals; of kids building forts; of staying up together by candlelight to read Shel Silverstein poems.
For the people on the ground, who in the face of tragedy and myriad challenges, said, “God is good. That’s the short version.”
A blessing for the moments of sadness, for the people who have seen despair up close. For the Christmas ornaments and backpacks and all of the favorite things that were lost. “You see whole lives on the road three weeks after the storm.”
A blessing for the educators who learned to drive forklifts, took your kids with you to serve, and set up cots for sleeping in classrooms.
A blessing for the athletes who led the way in bringing our communities back together.
A blessing for the people who shared their experiences of Helene with EdNC’s readers, and in doing so made us feel not so alone. And for the students and educators at Watauga High School who challenged us to think deeply about recovery, community, and aid — asking us “Are you a day helper or a stay helper?”
A blessing for our team members and the regional leaders at DPI who went first, opening their hearts, jumping in with the work, and even wearing hazmat suits.
A blessing for all the places impacted by Hurricane Helene, including the towns of Hot Springs, Marshall, Banner Elk, Lansing, Spruce Pine, Canton, Old Fort, and Swannanoa, and communities like Pensacola, Plumtree, and Cranberry. As you rebuild in the months and years ahead, we will not forget you.
A blessing for ongoing efforts to restore power and potable water, put creeks and rivers back where they were, and rebuild our highways of hope.
A blessing for anyone who lost a loved one because of Helene, but especially for the children who lost one or both parents. A blessing for those who are still missing. In the face of unimaginable loss and heartache, a blessing for those who are still here, telling theirs and their loved ones stories.
As life goes on — like it always does — a blessing for feeling all the things: grief and joy, despair and hope, frustration and excitement, loneliness and togetherness.
Keeping holding on to each other.
A blessing for our state for our future. In good times, we are grateful to celebrate the all of us, and in hard times, we are honored to bear witness to our resilience.
In the days and months ahead, a blessing for you to find exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.
A blessing for the space and curiosity to keep learning, the wisdom and perseverance to navigate challenges and opportunities, and enough tenderheartedness to keep believing in and fighting for more goodness in the world around you.
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