Topics Related to Education
When COVID-19 forced schools to move online, North Carolina’s digital divide became impossible to ignore. Students without reliable internet at home couldn’t join remote classes or access their homework.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Grandfather Mountain experienced record visitation. People escaped to the nature park, famous for its Mile High Swinging Bridge, seeking fresh air, exercise, and unique experiences. Attendance increased by nearly 30% from 2019 to 2021. But not everyone could take part.
Update: While the Patriot Foundation is no longer accepting applications for the Recovery scholarship, you can still apply for its NC Patriot Star Family Scholarship Program.
Update: The pandemic recovery TeachNC financial assistance program ended after serving 7,000 people. You can still find additional TeachNC resources here.Madeleine Salazar’s first day as a third-grade teacher could not have come at a more critical time. In the fall of 2021, COVID-19 cases were back on the rise, masks and social distancing continued, and virtual learning had taken a toll. Teacher vacancies exploded.
Vega Construction in Pilot Mountain is a family business in every sense of the word. Owner and president Carlos Vega learned masonry from his father, an expert mason of 20 years, and after he earned an engineering degree, they started the company together in 2018. You’ll find Vega’s wife running administration in the front office and their relatives working at each construction site. Brick by brick, they’ve built a reputation for strong, quality work.
The value of North Carolina’s public gardens was never more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the virus spread and threatened the safety of indoor activities, many people turned to the outdoors. Attendance nearly doubled at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville.“People found the Arboretum as a refuge, as a place to get peace during the pandemic, to reconnect with nature,” says Deputy Director Drake Fowler.
While the Crosby Scholars program serves public school students in three counties – Forsyth, Rowan, and Iredell – you’ll also find its alumni in every corner of North Carolina succeeding academically, personally, and professionally. A $500,000 grant from the state’s American Rescue Plan Act funds is strengthening the program right when schools and families need it most.
When Dr. Tanya Hudson went door-to-door interviewing families about the impacts of COVID-19, there was a clear consensus: students’ academic skills suffered because of extended online learning. This is often referred to as “learning loss,” and extends beyond North Carolina into every state that closed schools in 2020 to help stem the spread of the virus.
As Bennett College enters its 150th year, it can add yet another major event to its long history: surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. Located in the heart of Greensboro, this historically black women’s college is anchored by a chapel where Martin Luther King Jr. once spoke, and its students – known as Bennett Belles – have played integral roles in social justice movements dating back to the 1930s.
Update: Since this story was first published, Destiny Perez graduated from Forsyth Technical Community College in May 2023, and was accepted into Western Carolina University where she plans to obtain a bachelor's degree in marketing and communications.