Imagine leaving school on a perfectly normal Wednesday, to then not come back for two and half weeks early in the semester. 

Sept. 27 was when Tropical Storm Helene hit Western North Carolina. The storm strongly impacted life for the next couple weeks, as everyone adjusted to the new challenges they now faced, including the closing of schools for nearly two and a half weeks. 

This also threw a huge curveball in student academics and preparing for end-of-semester exams. However, two students, Madeline Cannon and BrantLee Anders, said their grades were not affected and they overall got great grades.

“Since there were so many things happening, the teachers were not as strict as they usually were,” said Cannon.  

Kia Emaus said her grades weren’t as good as she would have wanted them to be, even though she studied, because she “just didn’t understand the subjects.”

Because of the missed school, it was really hard to remember lessons and readjust to her classes once we got back, she said, but she eventually got back into her routine. 

Everything in students’ and staff members’ daily lives had shifted, and everyone was just trying to get through and clean up in the aftermath of the storm. 

“Students were mostly prepared for finals, but lost a great deal of continuity with their study habits and schoolwork,” English teacher Sonya Jenkins said.

Jenkins said she definitely felt rushed in trying to help prepare her students. She could tell that students were mentally done with the semester and that were trying their best, but the effort was just not there.

Article by Averie McCall. Photo of the BHS farm provided by animal science teacher Sarah Clayton.