SWANNANOA, N.C. — Twelve-year-old Natalie Briggs found herself grappling with the stunning aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which reduced her once-familiar home to a shell. With ruined bedrooms and dangling wires, Natalie recalled the day she crossed over precarious beams that led to her past life.
As Hurricane Helene battered western North Carolina last year, it left thousands in similar positions, uprooting more than 2,500 students and forcing them into homelessness. In the Appalachian region, considered a 'climate haven,' many students are now haunted by anxiety and fear linked to this disaster.
Months after the storm, while schools resumed sessions, Natalie and countless others remained displaced, caught in an ongoing cycle of struggle to reestablish normality in their lives. Anxiety has become commonplace for these students, as reflections on their circumstances become overwhelming.
Research points out that disasters are increasingly disrupting communities across the U.S., and the aftermath of Helene posed particular challenges in areas already burdened with social and economic difficulties, including food insecurity and housing shortages.
Struggles Beyond the Storm
Families that faced the brunt of the storm endured multiple hardships as they sought stable housing. Bonnie Christine Goggins-Jones and her grandchildren lost their home in Black Mountain to the deluge of floodwaters caused by Helene. Living in a motel and temporary accommodations, she expressed the emotional and physical toll the disaster exacted.
As hopes for recovery diminished for many, yonder came the need to navigate the educational system while in transition. America Sanchez Chavez, an 11-year-old who had to leave her trailer home, recounted the fear the storms still invoke, especially during rainy weather.
The Ripple Effect of Displacement
As students dispersed across various living arrangements — doubling up with families, resting in shelters, or even transitioning to hotels — their education suffered. Research from UCLA illustrates that temporary arrangements often lead to classifications of homelessness, highlighting the challenges these children face in continuing their education.
Yet, the numbers reveal a stark reality: counties affected by Helene watched their homelessness rates skyrocket, as families scrambled to find shelter amidst ongoing challenges. A significant proportion of displaced students resorted to staying with relatives or enrolling in different school systems to secure some semblance of normalcy.
Even as federal funding programs exist to aid in combating educational displacement, many districts struggle to secure these crucial funds, leaving a gap in support for affected families.
Long-Term Consequences
The effects of Hurricane Helene continue to cast a long shadow; many students are still seeking solace in the chaos that followed the storm. Advocates for education and homelessness stress the need for immediate and sustained resources dedicated to students' recovery efforts.
In the face of these challenges, Natalie and her mother have forged a bond strengthened by their experience, reminding us of the resilience and humanity that emerges from the darkest of scenarios.
As recovery efforts progress, the lingering impacts of Hurricane Helene serve as a call to action for communities and education systems to ensure that no student is left behind in these critical times of need.
