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Education

Back 2 School Festival Returns August 9, 2025 – Community Support Needed Now More Than Ever

July 9, 2025 The 2025 Back 2 School Festival will be held on Saturday, August 9 at Watauga High School, continuing its mission to ensure every Watauga County student starts the school year confident and prepared.  Nearly 40% of Watauga’s 4,600 public school students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and in some schools that number is even higher. As the average cost of school supplies climbs above $150 per child, many families are forced to make impossible choices between essentials like food, rent, or getting their children ready for school.

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App State’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies holds 23rd Annual Rosen Symposium July 10–16

July 8, 2025 The Appalachian State University Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies (CJHPS) will host the 23rd Annual Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium from July 10–16 at Appalachian State’s Boone campus. The event is supported by the Claims Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium Endowment and the local Jewish community. For over two decades, the Rosen Symposium has brought educators from across the country together to provide lessons, materials, resources and best practices for teaching about the Holocaust.

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Holy Cross Valle Crucis Announces Public Events for July 19 Centennial Celebration 1842 Episcopal Mission Honors the 100th Anniversary of its Current Church Building

July 3, 2025 One hundred years ago, in 1925, the Episcopal faith community in and around Valle Crucis laid the foundation for the stone church and built a new spiritual home for the original mission that had been established in 1842. This is the centennial year of the current location of Holy Cross Episcopal Church and its signature red front door, and the parish will commemorate this blessed anniversary with a series of public events that celebrate its worship and ministry, plus four of its most cherished venues: the historic 1862 St. John’s Chapel on the lower Watauga River, the venerable 19th century Bishop Ives Cabin, the former 1910 mission school now known as the Valle Crucis Conference Center (VCCC), and the gothic revival architecture and adornments of Holy Cross Church itself, consecrated in 1925

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Wilkes Community College Small Business Center Now Accepting Applications for The Retail Academy for September 9 through October 27

June 26 2025 Wilkesboro, NC – The Wilkes Community College Small Business Center is now accepting applications for The Retail Academy—a brand new program created to address the complexities and sometimes daunting nature of starting and operating a retail establishment. The Retail Academy will serve existing or prospective retail business owners in Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties. It is an application-based, six-week immersive boot camp and will run from September 9 through October 27 on Tuesdays from 6pm-8pm at the Wilkes Community College – Kendrick/Church Hall. Applications are open now and will be accepted through August 15

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Ribbon Cutting for the Lower Hardin Creek Restoration Project is June 23rd at 2:00 pm

June 16, 2025 On June 23rd, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., the Town of Boone will be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Lower Hardin Creek Restoration Project. Attendees can meet in the Watauga High School Parking Lot near the football field starting at 1pm. Participants can either walk down or there will be shuttle service available to the event site. After many years of planning and grant writing, the project marks a significant step toward restoring ecological balance in the area. It successfully restored 2,500 feet of Hardin Creek by stabilizing the stream bed, reconnecting the stream to its natural floodway, and enhancing aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitats.

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App State’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies Announces Recipients of 2024–25 White Rose Student Research Conte

June 13, 2025 Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (CJHPS) has announced the recipients of its inaugural White Rose Student Research Contest. The contest, supported through a grant from anonymous donors, is an annual program dedicated to teaching deep learning on the Holocaust and promoting historical rigor. The contest encourages teachers to advise eighth through 12th grade students on writing an essay based on a pre-established topic relating to the Holocaust, which changes each year. The 2024–25 topic was “Americans and the Holocaust,” which explored America’s role in ending the Holocaust and helping the victims.

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Get Ready to Strum, Pick, and Sing Your Way Through Summer at Jones House Cultural Center

June 5, 2025 The Jones House Cultural Center has announced a series of summer “slow” jams, where participants of all ages can come together to explore the timeless sounds of old-time and classic bluegrass music in a fun and inclusive setting. Each session will be led by two music teachers from the Boone JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) program. No matter your age or skill level, those who have a passion for traditional music are welcome to join the jams. Bring an acoustic string instrument and come prepared to learn, jam, and make new friends. While some basic chord knowledge is certainly helpful, these sessions are open to beginners and seasoned players alike, offering a supportive environment for everyone to grow and develop their musical talents.

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Amos Lee Kicks off the 41st Season of An Appalachian Summer on Saturday, June 28

June 2, 2025 Appalachian State University’s annual multi-disciplinary summer arts celebration, An Appalachian Summer, opens its 41st season with Amos Lee, Saturday, June 28 at 7:30pm at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. The soulful singer-songwriter released his gold-selling self-titled first album in 2005 and has been known for his association with a long list of collaborators and touring partners, including Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Zac Brown Band, and Willie Nelson. With a laconic style, gravelly, evocative voice, and acoustic Americana sound, Lee is equally comfortable and affecting amidst a range of genres — from folk, soul, and jazz, to Americana, roots rock, and country — in his quest to connect honestly and emotionally with his audience. 

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The Watauga Arts Council Introduces Summer Art Classes for All Ages 

June 2, 2025 The Watauga Arts Council (WAC) has announced their latest in upcoming summer classes and workshops. Taught by numerous skilled instructors, WAC’s variety of classes provide students the opportunity to learn a new craft or hone in on their current artistic skills. Upcoming courses and workshops for the summer include:

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Blue Scholarship Awarded to Genevieve Li Jing Waugh, Watauga High School Student

June 2, 2025 Genevieve “Gigi” Li Jing Waugh, a Watauga High School student, was awarded the John and Ruth Blue Scholarship. She is the 24th recipient of the scholarship which this year awarded $8,000 and is renewable annually for up to four years. The scholarship is awarded by the John and Ruth Blue Scholarship Endowment, a fund of the Watauga County Community Foundation. Genevieve is the daughter of Lynne and Wes Waugh. She is one of the top academic students at Watauga and an AP Scholar.

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Four Watauga Students Awarded Scholarships from Blue Ridge Energy

May 30, 2025 Blue Ridge Energy recently awarded $32,000 in college scholarships to 14 students across its service area seeking to further their academic goals. The scholarships are part of the Blue Ridge Energy Leadership Track program, designed to help high school students better prepare for acceptance into the college of their dreams. In Watauga County, four students received a total of $10,000.

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Banner House Museum Announces Hours, Tours, and Tickets for Summer 2025

May 23, 2025.  Experience 19th-century life in Banner Elk and the High Country in the home of Samuel Henry Banner, one of Banner Elk’s early settlers and his his wife, Jane Hyder Banner, and their seven children.  The circa 1870 house has been furnished with period heirlooms donated and loaned by area residents to tell the story of Banner Elk life from the 1870’s to the 1900’s. An exhibition room highlights local history from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.  In addition, visitors may see a volunteer weaver demonstrating traditional hand-weaving techniques on a floor loom.

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“Grandfather Presents: T. Edward Nickens” Kicks Off Speaker Series July 24


May 20, 2025 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that tickets for the first presentation of the Grandfather Presents 2025 speaker series are on sale now. T. Edward Nickens, an award-winning author and journalist, kicks off this year’s Thursday night presentations on July 24. The event will be hosted in the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery, where guests will experience a “night at the museum” atmosphere, the speaker presentation and book-signing/“meet-and-greet” opportunities.

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Grandfather Mountain to Kick Off Rhododendron Rambles May 24

May 14, 2025. Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will celebrate the beauty of the spring season this year with its Rhododendron Rambles, a series of guided strolls that showcase the park’s blossoming rhododendron and other native species. The easygoing rambles take place at 1 p.m. daily May 24 through June 1. These short walks are led by the park’s naturalists and are included with the price of admission. If the rhododendrons continue to bloom beyond early June, Grandfather Mountain naturalists may extend the event dates. Interested attendees should meet outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. The rambles are wheelchair and stroller accessible.

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Grandfather Mountain Adult Field Course May to October Series Announced for 2025

May 14, 2025. Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is once again offering its adult field courses for 2025, allowing participants the chance to explore Grandfather Mountain like never before and take a deep dive into a variety of topics. The series runs from May through October, with topics including landscape design, geology, habitat identification, hummingbirds, fungi and astronomy. Each field course is limited to 20 or fewer participants, so they fill up quickly.

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BRAHM Announces Theme and Call for Submission for “ARS POETICA III: A Juried Exhibition” with June 13th Deadline

May 13, 2025. The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) is pleased to announce its third annual “ARS POETICA” exhibition, which will be on view in the Alexander Community Gallery from September 6 through November 13, 2025. The Museum invites poets and visual artists to submit their work by June 13, 2025. Inspired by Horace’s “Ars Poetica,” in which the Roman poet wrote, “as is painting, so is poetry,” this juried exhibition explores the profound relationship between visual art and the written word. While distinct in form, poetry and visual art each strive to move, inspire and deepen human understanding.

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Blowing Rock Community Library Receives Donation of Handcrafted Reading Tables for Community Room

May 13, 2025. The Blowing Rock Community Library recently received a generous donation of four handcrafted, maple and cypress wood tables for the library’s Community Room.  The handcrafted tables were donated by Jean and Hodge Kitchin and the Blowing Rock Civic Association. During the winter months, Blowing Rock Library Association Member Jamie Dixey took on the task of refinishing the library’s seven large reading tables. She found that four of the library tables had significant wear and would need repair. Dixey then put a call out to the community asking for assistance. Her request was quickly answered with a generous offer to replace the tables from The Blowing Rock Civic Association together with Jean and Hodge Kitchin, longtime residents of Blowing Rock.

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Project Dance Foundation Launches CAMP OF THE ARTS: A New Multidisciplinary Summer Program for Boone’s Youth

May 5, 2025 The Project Dance Foundation is proud to announce the launch of Camp of the Arts, a new multidisciplinary summer arts program designed to meet a growing need in the High Country. Starting June 2025, this immersive camp will offer children in grades K–12 professional instruction in dance, music, theatre, painting, and more. While Boone is home to several vibrant arts organizations, families still face limited options for comprehensive and affordable summer arts programming. Camp of the Arts aims to fill this gap by offering a structured, full-summer initiative that nurtures creativity, encourages self-expression, and fosters community among young artists.

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App State Spring Commencement Ceremonies are May 9–10

May 1, 2025 Appalachian State University will recognize spring 2025 graduates during commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10. Ceremonies will take place at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. each day in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s Boone campus. During the events, graduates will walk across the stage in Holmes Convocation Center and be professionally photographed receiving their diploma covers. App State Chancellor Heather Norris will confer degrees upon graduates at each ceremony, which will include graduates from each of App State’s academic colleges and the Hayes School of Music

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Registration is open for App State’s 2nd annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16

April 30, 2025 Appalachian State University will host its second annual Aging Well Conference on May 15–16 at Levine Hall of Health Sciences, located at 1179 State Farm Road in Boone. Sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Medicare, the event will bring together caregivers, health professionals, researchers and social service providers to explore innovative strategies for healthy aging. Conference topics include disease prevention, managing anxiety and depression in older adults, balancing exercise with physical therapy and lifestyle interventions to prevent cognitive decline.

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App State ROTC Program Honored with Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Award

April 9, 2025 The Appalachian State University Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, known as the Mountaineer Battalion, has been awarded the U.S. Army’s General Douglas MacArthur Award, recognizing the program’s exceptional contributions to military leadership and training. A ceremony in celebration of the program’s achievement was held March 20 at App State’s Boone campus. Established in 1989, the award, conferred by the U.S. Army Cadet Command, honors the top eight ROTC programs in the country. The award highlights the success of programs in displaying Gen. MacArthur’s ideals — “Duty, Honor, Country” — and accomplishing its mission of training and commissioning second lieutenants for the U.S. Army.

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Great News—More Tickets Available for Power of the Purse on June 26! New Larger Venue at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone

April 7, 2025 Thanks to your overwhelming enthusiasm, our Power of the Purse event featuring Laura Linney and Molly Grantham on June 26th sold out in just two days! We heard you, and we’re thrilled to announce we’ve increased our event capacity and reopened ticket sales! To accommodate everyone, we’re moving to a larger venue: The Holmes Convocation Center on Rivers Street in Boone.

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Grandfather Mountain Announces New Event: “Sounds of Nature – Kids’ Music Day”

April 7, 2025 The mountains will be alive with the sound of music as Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, hosts a new event, “Sounds of Nature – Kids’ Music Day.” The fun-filled, nature-themed afternoon of music will take place Saturday, April 26 in the Williams Outdoor Learning Space, located next to the park’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. Families can groove to the sounds in nature through an interactive concert celebration, featuring lively performances from Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation staff, as well as visiting Chimney Rock State Park staff, plus eco-themed songs and hands-on activities.

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App State to Host Lab iMPACTLY Workshop April 3 to Help Nonprofits Maximize Effectiveness

March 26, 2025 Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies, in collaboration with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success, will host the inaugural Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop on Thursday, April 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 201A of the Plemmons Student Union. The workshop aims to equip local nonprofits with the tools, strategies and insights needed to enhance their impact, particularly in securing and managing grants.

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Avery County Woman Will Use $466,415 Win to Help People Affected by Helene

March 13, 2025 Tracy Bell of Banner Elk wants to give back to her community after she won a $466,415 jackpot playing a digital instant game. “Everyone around here has been through a lot lately,” she said. “I want to help some friends who lost a lot in the storm.” Bell played a $10 ticket on Sunday and won the top level ‘Epic jackpot’ in the Wheel of Bonuses game, a digital instant game featuring a progressive jackpot that can be won at any time. The odds of that win are 1 in 3.1 million. “It was pretty amazing,” she said.

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