A robust, educated workforce is critical to attracting and supporting employers in any community and helping individuals hardest hit by natural disasters to regain employment with adaptable and sought-after skills. Helene’s impact has been devastating on several levels and, in many cases, will constitute a generational impact on the identity and character of affected communities. The resiliency and grit demonstrated by my neighbors, friends and the community assure me that Western North Carolina will get through this challenging time, and education can be the catalyst to help residents gain a new foothold for themselves and their families.