🥁 It’s an unwritten rule in the world of entertainment - always leave them wanting more. When your feet are clapping and your toes are tapping along with the rhythm and moves of a great marching band, a 12-minute halftime show just isn’t enough. The 51st annual Land of the Sky Marching Band Festival brought more than 30 groups to Enka High School in September!

🌱 Weaverville Primary students got a hands-on lesson in healthy living and local agriculture during an event that transformed their school into a mini farmers market. Thanks to a special partnership with Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and Olivette Farms, students explored colorful tables filled with fresh carrots, collard greens, and red radishes where kids had the chance to “shop” for their fresh produce using pretend money.

💚 Edgar Waters lights up the hallways of A.C. Reynolds High School with love and positivity, giving both staff and students extra fuel for their “Rocket Pride.” The 83-year-old part time custodian starts every day visiting the front office and classrooms around the school, giving fist bumps and sharing his call-and-response catchphrase: “Another God-given new day to be in Rocket…” with the answer, “Country.”

🧗‍♀️ During the crucial middle school years, collaboration and courage help define growth, and North Buncombe Middle School seventh graders got a chance to embrace both at the Adventure Center of Asheville. Students faced their fears together on wobbly bridges and leap-off platforms, learning that encouragement can be just as important as strength.

🚲 Enka Intermediate School wrapped up its annual bike safety unit with a hands-on learning event featuring student volunteers from Enka High School. The three-day lesson included obstacle courses, ramp practice, and games on the blacktop and school loop. High school civics literacy students, guided by teacher and local mountain bike coach Rebecca McCord, volunteered as part of a community service project aligned with North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate initiative.

🇺🇸 Culinary students at Erwin High School are known to plate amazing dishes. A special lunch before Veterans Day was more than a meal, however. It was an expression of gratitude and thanks. The school’s FCCLA chapter organized a Veterans Lunch Celebration, bringing together local veterans and those who work for the school to enjoy a gourmet meal prepared by students and their advisors. 

 🍪 Two Black Mountain Primary School classes placed in the top 10 during the 2025 National Gingerbread Competition, hosted by the Omni Grove Park Inn. Ashley Styles’ kindergarteners took third place in the Child category for their entry, “A Christmas Wagon,” while Katie Hogan’s second graders placed in the top 10 for their “Butterfly Garden” display. Partaking in the annual gingerbread house competition is a Black Mountain Primary tradition reaching back more than 20 years.

🧶 The spirit of the holiday season came alive at Buncombe County Schools Central Services as staff browsed one-of-a-kind handcrafted treasures during the annual High School Craft Bazaar. This beloved tradition once again transformed the meeting room into a vibrant marketplace, showcasing the imagination and talent of high school students across the county. 

❤️ The visitors, staff, and animals at WNC Nature Center have nicer surroundings thanks to Clyde A. Erwin High School students. As part of a schoolwide Day of Service on Nov. 19, Erwin students spent the morning cleaning and sprucing up garden beds at the local wildlife center.

 🔥 Sparks were flying and the molten metal was glowing as BCS students fused focus and skill at a welding competition. The event, hosted by Dave Steel, Inc., included teams from across the region, including A.C. Reynolds and Enka high schools. In addition to demonstrating safety procedures and welding acumen, students completed a 50-question exam on overall welding knowledge.

☀️ Students from Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy stepped beyond their computer screens and into the cosmos during a field trip to the Lookout Observatory on the campus of UNC Asheville. Using an Orion telescope equipped for safe solar viewing, students observed the sun up close, spotting visible sunspots and learning about solar flares and other solar activity

🚌 From the moment the Buncombe County Schools Foundation’s Bookmobile turns the corner into a neighborhood, park, or daycare parking lot, excitement begins to build. Little faces press against windows, teachers gather their classes, and a familiar smile steps off the bus - Pricilla Lunsford, Bookmobile coordinator, ready to deliver far more than books. 

 📕 Hominy Valley Elementary School was filled with laughter and excitement as students gathered for a special assembly featuring a visit from the Asheville Humane Society to launch a new schoolwide reading initiative. The visit kicked off the collective reading of “Shelby’s Story,” a book students continued exploring in their classrooms in the following weeks. The initiative is designed to build a love of reading while helping students learn about kindness, responsibility, and caring for animals.

🌎 Heritage Night at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School brought together more than 1,000 students, families, staff, and community members for an evening celebrating cultures from around the world. Through a collaborative effort, staff and families transformed classrooms into “continents” featuring global cuisine, performances, art, and hands-on experiences.

🏅 Often, students visit Raleigh to see the workings of state government. A special group from West Buncombe Elementary were actually participants in official government business at the North Carolina State Board of Education. The West Buncombe delegation was invited for the State Board’s “Special Recognitions.” The school was honored by the Distinguished Schools Program of the National Association of Elementary and Secondary Education Act State Program Administrators for positive educational advances and outstanding student achievement. West Buncombe was celebrated for excellence in serving special student populations.

🧬 Charles D. Owen High School students stepped into the world of modern science, using real biotechnology tools to analyze DNA and explore the ethical questions that come with it. As part of a unit on gene expression, Ryan Smith’s Advanced Placement Biology class conducted a hands-on lab using gel electrophoresis to simulate genetic testing for Huntington’s disease. By comparing DNA samples from parents and their children, students determined which individuals may carry the genetic marker for the condition.

👗 A magical night for the Buncombe County Schools Progressive Education Program (PEP) began with a journey down the yellow brick road. With a theme of “The Wizard of Oz,” the PEP prom, held at the east campus of Biltmore Church April 24, started with cheers for students as they entered the door, escorted down a yellow carpet by their peer tutors from T.C. Roberson High School.

🎉 After leading the climb through their high school years, the 2026 BCS Top Scholars gathered to reflect on their achievements, and prepare to conquer future challenges. The BCS Top Scholar Celebration at Biltmore Church honored seniors from across the school system who’ve worked throughout high school to achieve and maintain the highest grade point averages.  

⚙️ At North Windy Ridge Intermediate School, STEM teacher Russell Thompson is helping students learn about science, engineering and compassion, one 3D-printed prosthetic arm at a time. For years, Thompson has taught lessons about the systems of the human body by guiding students through hands-on projects building prosthetic arms out of cardboard. During those lessons, he often showed videos of real prosthetics to help students better understand how the devices work and how engineering can improve lives. Recently, he custom printed a prosthetic arm for a student.

🎓 It has been a joyous season of celebration, as students, joined by families, friends, teachers, and principals, have celebrated the Class of 2026. You can find photos of our graduation ceremonies in this web article. Congratulations to all of our BCS graduates!