Watauga County Schools Receives Support from Near and Far

Last Updated on December 11, 2024 2:41 pm

Despite the challenges experienced in Western North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Helene, there has been a large outpouring of support, love and joy. For Watauga County Schools, this has been shown through generous donations by locals and kind-hearted people from around the United States.

In the weeks that followed Helene, our schools were hubs for their families and the community to pick up food and supplies. The items that filled gymnasiums were provided by individuals, organizations, nonprofits, churches, etc. and they were extremely appreciated.

As WCS focused on its re-entry plan, these areas of the schools needed to be cleared in order to welcome back students. Administrators and staff worked hard to ensure families and community members had everything they needed and then some. Watauga High School had opened a Care Closet which was organized by Athletes for Good. They received an overwhelming amount of support and donations. A large portion of the donations that were left over were sent to other areas of the county or to neighbors in other counties who were in need.

The district office received many phone calls from other schools in the state and throughout the country who heard about the impact Hurricane Helene had on our area. Superintendent Alexander and many other district leaders received emails from those reaching out who wanted to know how to help. As inquiries continued to flow in, it was determined that main contacts/liaisons from the district office were needed. Director of Communications/Community Relations Bailey Little and Director of Middle Grades Education Meredith Jones became the points of contact for any individuals, organizations, groups, etc. that wished to support WCS. Ms. Little and Mrs. Jones have been keeping in contact with school administrators and staff members to determine what needs there are at their school and pair them with donors based on what support they can offer.

“It has been such a heartwarming experience to connect with genuinely kind people who want to support our students, families and school communities,” Little said. “Those who have delivered these items have been very intentional in their communications and thoughtful in rounding up the items to ensure they aid in the relief and recovery of our schools, students and families. At the district office we have received books, backpacks, water bottles, lunchboxes, coats, blankets and many toys. We have then been able to collaborate as an office and connect with staff members at the schools to determine what items we have that can help their school community.”

John T. Hoggard High School

Hoggard High School, located in Wilmington, NC held a successful donation drive for Mabel School and the Zionville Community. Principal Elin Reuben's former collage Kendra Harrison is one of the assistant principals. Ms. Harrison and Mr. Hunter Moody (AP Calculus teacher, Varsity Defensive Line Coach, advisor for Hoggard's National Honor Society and Beta Club sponor) teamed up to lead these efforts. The result was a U-Haul full of various supplies that Coach Moody delivered personally by driving up to Mabel School one afternoon. Mrs. Reuben and several of her staff members were very excited and helped unload all of the items. Thank you, Hoggard High School!

10 Adults are standing and smiling in the drop off area at the front of Mabel School. They are standing in front of a U-Haul that Hunter Moody from Wilmington, NC drove that was filled with items collected through a donation drive for hurricane relief and recovery.

After Coach Moody arrived with the U-Haul from Wilmington, NC, Mrs. Reuben and the Mabel School staff members who helped unload the delivery posed for a photo together.

The back door of a U-Haul storage vehicle is open and shows the contents which were the items collected through Hoggard High School's donation drive for Mabel School. Visible in the photo are cases of bottled water and several stacked boxes of non-perishable food.

Items collected through the donation drive at Hoggard High School were plentiful and filled the interior of the U-Haul!

Pictured are two adults standing outside of a school building and smiling in front of boxes of donations. On the left is Mabel School principal Elin Reuben she has long blonde hair and is wearing a black shirt that says "Mabel School" in yellow letters and black pants. Standing beside her is Hunter Moody who has a dark beard. He has on a white ball cap and a white athletic shirt with dark blue shorts.

Mrs. Reuben and Coach Moody pose for a photo together in front of several of the boxes of donations.

Mary Square

Thank you to CEO Kelly Shiley, Elyse Darling and Patsy Alley for working in collaboration to donate hundreds of backpacks, lunchboxes and water bottles for WCS students from Mary Square’s kids line.

Patsy Alley was a Kindergarten and First grade teacher at Mabel School for over 20 years and has a special place in her heart for WCS youngsters. She and Ms. Darling, who drove the U-Haul from Raleigh containing all of the precious items for students, visited the Central Office on Oct. 18 to help unload them with CO administrators and staff.

Since receiving them at the CO, we have made additional deliveries to three of our K-8 schools where these items are sure to make children smile! It is so appreciated that we now have these items available to any of our elementary students in need of them.

Two people prepare to unload a U-Haul truck full of pink and blue backpacks for K-2 students from Mary Square. On the left is Elyse Darling who has on a black cardigan over a green shirt. Her dark hair is tied back in a ponytail. On the right is WCS employee Jeff Younce who is wearing a black t shirt and cargo shorts with a white ballcap.

Elyse Darling and Jeff Younce prepared to begin unloading the U-Haul at the WCS Central Office.

Two adults pose for a photo in front of a stone fireplace holding children's backpacks. On the left is Bailey Little who has wavy brown hair and is wearing a green sweater. She is holding a floral printed girls' backpack. On the right is Meredith Jones who has her dark curly hair pulled back in a bun and is wearing a green sweater. She is holding a striped blue and green boys' backpack.

Bailey Little and Meredith Jones holding two of the backpacks that were provided by Mary Square.

Two women hold various backpacks outside. On the left is Loyce Warren who works in the front office at Mabel School she is holding one girls' bookbag and one boys' bookbag. She has short spiked gray hair and is wearing black shorts with a white t-shirt. On the right is Monica Parsons who is the Instructional Technology Facilitator, she is holding three girls' backpacks, has dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and is wearing a black t shirt with blue jeans.

Loyce Warren and Monica Parsons pose for a photo together after receiving enough backpacks for their Pk-2 students at Mabel School.

Two men hold girls' backpacks in front of a stone wall. On the left is School Resource Officer James Parker. He holds three pink, colorful floral printed girls' backpacks. On the right is Bethel School Principal Ricky Ward holding a box of the same girls' backpacks. They are both wearing black shirts and black sneakers.

SRO James Parker and Ricky Ward pose for a photo together after receiving enough backpacks for their Pk-2 students at Bethel School.

Johnia Berry Memorial Toy Drive

Blowing Rock resident Jocelyn Lacey serves as a board member for the organization “Hope for Victims.” Each year, this organization sponsors the Johnia Berry Memorial Toy Drive. Toys are distributed to nonprofits and schools in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia each year on December 6th, which is the anniversary of Johnia’s death. This year, the board wanted to help children in Watauga have a Christmas they deserve after the devastation of Helene.

What an incredible way to honor Johnia's legacy and also bring joy to many of our students and families this holiday season. Thank you Mrs. Lacey and Hope for Victims for making a difference!

Two women hold toys in the WCS board room. On the left wearing a green sweater and blue jeans is Cove Creek School and Green Valley School social worker Heather Holbrook. She is smiling and holding a train set. On the right is her intern Paige who is wearing a dark green sweater and black pants. She is holding a basketball.

Cove Creek and Green Valley School social worker Heather Holbrook and her intern Paige pose for a photo with some of the toys they collected from the Central Office from the Johnia Berry Memorial Toy Drive to give to students at Cove Creek School.

Five adults stand in front of a stone fire place and are surrounded by toys that were collected through the Johnia Berry Memorial Toy Drive.

From Left: Dr. Gary Childers, Meredith Jones, Jocelyn Lacey, Dr. Leslie Alexander and Bailey Little. Mrs. Lacey and Dr. Alexander are holding the children's book that Mrs. Lacey wrote in honor of Johnia Berry, which tells the touching story of her life, legacy and the creation of the Johnia Berry Memorial Toy Drive.

Team Hope

On Nov. 26 two vehicles arrived at the Central Office containing toys for our students to receive extra joy this holiday season. The gracious and generous visitors were Caleb, Lindsey and Morgan Dunnam of George County, Mississippi and Donna Miller of Watauga County. Ms. Miller and her family are part of the Parkway School community.

The Dunnams and Ms. Miller are all connected through Team Hope, which is a disaster relief organization that travels throughout the United States to provide support after natural disasters. It is based out of Mississippi. The Dunnams traveled for approximately 12 hours to complete the trip to Watauga.

Thank you so much for delivering these items which were provided by caring individuals who heard about the storm’s impact on our community. They will make many of our local children smile!

The Dunnam Family from Mississippi The Dunnam family and Donna Miller.
From Left: Caleb, Lindsey and Morgan

Three people stand in front of a stone fireplace with toys in the background. On the left is a man with a tan ballcap, light green shirt and dark green coat. In the middle is a woman wearing a black jacket over a red shirt. On the right is a younger woman wearing a camoflauge sweatshirt.

Four adults stand in a room in front of a stone fireplace. A red children's bicycle and a purple children's bicycle are visible in the background of the photo.

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