After Hurricane Helene swept through the River Arts District in downtown Asheville, a piece of land was left vacant in the storm’s wake. Eighth-grade students at Carolina Day School were given a new challenge as part of their interdisciplinary final project: to propose a plan for what that land could become. With artists, business owners, and city officials all invested in the property’s future, it was the students who stepped up to draft the first proposals.

“What if we had students also help in this process, and they have a better opportunity to redevelop something that is more closely tied to their own lives,” said history teacher Jeremy Braketa.

The class offers a glimpse into what education can look like when it moves beyond the classroom, connecting students to real-world problems and giving them space to imagine creative solutions. For these students, learning has become a tool to change the world around them.