On September 27, 2024, Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, struck Greenville. Although hurricanes are not a rarity in Upstate South Carolina, the devastation left in Helene’s wake was unprecedented.
Many in the CCES community shared their experience with the hurricane and its aftermath. Senior Hunter Frederick said that he “lost power for about five days, and internet for about a week.” Junior Zoe Yearby, who also lost power for about a week, said that her family moved into a hotel shortly after the hurricane hit. “After two days, we moved to a hotel with power but no internet. We played board games. We played cards. I feel like I still spend a lot of time with my family, so [that] wasn’t much different.” English teacher Mr. Pharr, meanwhile, said the hurricane made him “feel out of touch with [his] students and classes.”
Some students shared a brighter account of their experience with the storm . “Selfishly, I had a pleasant experience,” sophomore Beau Brashier said. “I had no family members affected, and I got a nice break from school.” Senior Reid von Wyl agreed. Senior Hayden Brashier added that the hurricane “brought the community together.”
Christ Church students and faculty missed 8 school days due to the hurricane, an extended version of the usual three–and-a-half day fall break. On October 9th, many school activities, including classes, were resumed, but a lack of Wi-Fi led to a slow start. Students seemed to appreciate the faulty internet connection, with Sophomore Alex Drake saying, “The break was pretty nice. I was like, this is lit, and I got a break from the screens.” Brown agreed, saying that he “liked it because we weren’t doing as much.”
This unexpectedly long break has led to many classes falling behind the planned schedule. While the general consensus was that the school did a good job giving people the time they needed and getting things back on track, Frederick noted that despite pretty good post-hurricane policies, “a few of [his] classes are playing catch-up after missing so much, especially the standardized ones like AP.”
The CCES community also took time during the break to help our neighboring cities and states. Many students used different methods to help those most affected by Helene. “We initiated collections of supplies for Asheville and beyond,” said CCES service and experiential learning coordinator Ali Stone. “Lower schoolers made essential bags for front line workers, while the middle school collected items such as batteries, clothing items, and flashlights.” CCES also held a service day as part of Homecoming Week, which Stone said “came at the most appropriate time.”
The damage caused by Hurricane Helene will be long-lasting, and many are still dealing with the storm’s effects. However, the hurricane has also revealed the best of the community and brought us closer together in a difficult time.
