While in school, we were taught many skills related to communication, empathy, and supporting and listening to others. One skill I used a lot while supporting this school was being an active listener; sometimes, you don’t even have to say anything. They may only need someone to listen to them and their story, and others need you to be empathetic and support them through it.
Haleigh Gilbert, UNCG Department of Social Work alumna
When Hurricane Helene struck the North Carolina mountains on Sept. 28, two UNCG alumni were uniquely positioned to help elementary students who needed it. Tanya Little (’19, ’20) and Haleigh Gilbert (‘24) both have degrees in social work and are employed as school social workers with the Randolph County School System (RCSS).
RCSS was already collecting donations for those in the western part of the state when Buncombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rob Jackson requested assistance from social workers and school counselors employed in North Carolina.
“I had been looking for ways to support our neighbors in western Carolina, using my skills to make a difference,” Little said. “This opportunity felt like the answer I had been searching for, and I didn’t hesitate to sign up.”
Gilbert felt a similar obligation to assist.
“I felt like it was a great opportunity to help and use my skillset. I knew this area was greatly impacted by the hurricane, so I decided to volunteer,” she said. “Upon arrival to western North Carolina, all the extra support social workers and counselors were assigned to different schools.”
In her current position with RCSS, Gilbert serves an elementary and a high school. In elementary school, Gilbert primarily helps with behavior interventions, assessments, one-on-one sessions, and connecting families with resources. At her high school, she assists families in transition, with attendance, and providing resources.
Little works at elementary, middle, and high schools with RCSS. In her position, she advocates for children and families, connecting them with resources, and addressing issues that impact students’ school adjustment. Their work involves mental health assessments, crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and behavioral intervention.
This background was critical during the three days Little and Gilbert spent in Buncombe County. During their first day in the area, they attended a training session from the Crisis Management Institute to prepare them for their work with Buncombe County Schools, before both were assigned to work with Fairview Elementary School.
“(We were given) valuable insights into the impact of Hurricane Helene on the community and introduced to the Crisis Recovery Team model,” Little said. “We also discussed our roles, plans, and expectations.”
On Oct. 24 they were at Fairview Elementary for a teacher workday.
“I was able to connect with staff and work on different tasks throughout the day, such as helping set up the comfort room, organizing donations, and helping develop the plan for the return of students,” Gilbert said.
Little said it was important to ensure school staff had the resources they needed.
“Often, school personnel feel the pressure to maintain a cheerful demeanor, regardless of their personal challenges,” she said. “This day provided an opportunity for staff to express their grief and loss. It quickly became clear that while they were eager to reconnect with their students and restore a sense of normalcy, they felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally drained.”
On Oct. 25, they assisted Fairview Elementary with its soft reopening to students.
“We remained available to both staff and students as they navigated their feelings and needs,” Little said. “We established a safe room with soft music, coloring stations, stuffed animals, blankets, and other comforting items to help students feel secure. As a team, we provided counseling to over 30 students who needed extra support in processing their experiences and the impact of the storm on their first day back.”
Gilbert said the experience was a difficult one.
“It was extremely eye-opening and difficult to hear the things these students had experienced,” she said. “But it was also very rewarding to be there and talk them through it.”
Gilbert said she was well-equipped to help, thanks to the bachelor’s degree in social work.
“While in school, we were taught many skills related to communication, empathy, and supporting and listening to others,” she said. “One skill I used a lot while supporting this school was being an active listener; sometimes, you don’t even have to say anything. They may only need someone to listen to them and their story, and others need you to be empathetic and support them through it.”
And sometimes, the people you’re assisting can help you, too.
“One student said to me, ‘We all experienced something during this time, some big things and some small,’” Gilbert said. “That statement stuck with me throughout every conversation I had.”
Little said implementing the skills she’d honed after receiving her degree in Joint Master’s in Social Work and her last five years in a school system enabled her to help the students and staff have a more successful return to school.
“Empathy was essential in our interactions with families, students, and staff,” she said. “It was crucial to listen with the intent to understand, rather than to advise. I was reminded of the foundational levels of physiological needs and safety, which had been severely disrupted for many individuals. I also recognized the importance of meeting each student, staff member, and family where they were, knowing that each person processes trauma differently.”
Little was able to connect with one special needs student by playing a math game with him at his request, which helped him open up and share his experience.
“As a social worker, having the opportunity to extend a helping hand during such a challenging time is one of the greatest gifts I could ask for,” she said. “Though witnessing the trauma and devastation firsthand was deeply heavy, seeing the resilience of the community and the way people came together to heal made it all worthwhile.”
Little said she also hopes to reconnect with the students and staff they assisted at Fairview Elementary at the end of the school year.
Story by Sarah Newell