Article Category: Education

Gwen Hill: Building Up Our Youth

Building Up Our Youth: Local Program Creates Career Pathways in Building Trades for At-Risk Youth Gwen Hill   n the summer of 2018, Asheville-based nonprofit Green Opportunities kicked-off the second of three planned cycles of its new YouthBuild training program, a tuition-free pre-apprenticeship program designed for out-of-school youth in Buncombe...

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Garret K. Woodward: Rebuilding Affrilachia

Rebuilding Affrilachia: The Value of History and Equity in our Growing Community Garret K. Woodward   Just inside the entrance gate of the Burton Street Community Peace Garden in West Asheville hangs a sign that reads, “Good planets are hard to replace. Treat kindly.” The large hillside garden is accented...

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Jonathan Gach: Big-Picture Weatherization

Big-Picture Weatherization: Blue Horizon’s Energy Upgrade Program Jonathan Gach   The Asheville area is fortunate to have a variety of organizations on hand locally to help low-income residents face the challenges that can come with owning or renting a home. Eblen Charities’ Energy Assistance program can help families pay for...

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Garret K. Woodward: Filling in the Gaps

Filling in the Gaps: Energy Savers Network Helps Low-Income Homes Garret K. Woodward   It was the basketball-sized hole in the dining room window that stuck out the most for Alice Wyndham. “It was the second house we worked on. He was a veteran who had cancer. His mother had...

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Heath Moody: Train Drain

Train Drain: The Role of Higher Education in Developing a Sustainable Workforce Heath Moody   As our workforce faces the challenging mass exodus of baby boomers retiring over the next decade, there exists a unique opportunity to explore solutions that could not only put numerous Americans to work, but also...

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Olga Ronay: Better Together

Better Together: Community & Sustainability By Olga Ronay   You’re interested in living sustainably, wouldn’t it be cool if all your neighbors were, too? For people who live in green communities, that’s a reality. Planned communities, where the focus extends beyond an individual home or lot, create opportunities to meet...

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Margaret Chandler: Fontana Lake Residence

Fontana Lake Residence – A Case Study in Beautiful Efficiency By Margaret Chandler   The Fontana Lake Residence is a great demonstration of design elegance harmoniously integrated with environmental sustainability.  This handsome home achieved LEED for Homes Gold certification with a total of 75 points, and earned NC Healthy Built...

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Garret K. Woodward: Finding a Balance

Finding a balance — Asheville Yoga Center By Garret K. Woodward   Sunny Keach wanted more. “You get in this reality of what you can actually do with your business, what builders can actually do these days, and what banks are willing to work with you in terms of your...

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