When Hurricane Helene swept through the southern Appalachian mountains in late September of 2024, she left many things in her wake: destruction and death, blocked roads and valley-wide rivers. But among those things Helene left behind were poets, who gathered together to tell their personal stories of the flood in the poetry anthology “Had I a Dove.”

The town of Boone is constantly growing, known for its flourishing local art. The Boonerang music festival is more than just a concert. It’s a celebration of creativity, an opportunity for many local artists, and a chance for students to connect with people within the community through art and music for free.

Photographing late night sporting events, conducting interviews, and rushing to meet deadlines are all to be expected when a student joins the staff of one of Watauga High School’s publication programs. In yearbook and journalism class, students are challenged with a heavy workload and an even heavier responsibility to be one member of a vast team. But how is this going to influence students post high school?

This Sunday, September 27, will mark two years since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across Western North Carolina. Over two years since the waters receded, the High Country has worked tirelessly toward recovery - clearing debris, repairing roads and bridges, and rebuilding homes. Thousands of hours of volunteer effort and billions of dollars have been poured into the area, and though significant progress has been made, recovery is still ongoing.

Birthday celebrations, weekend dinners, and daily lunch in the staff room are only the beginning for the Watauga High School English Department’s staff culture. In addition to their offices being close together at school, the staff of the English Department is also a tight knit group of teachers outside of work.

What happens when you trade the Blue Ridge Mountains for the experience of new places, cultures, and hobbies? For Darcy Kwong and Cienna Cohen, sophomores at Watauga High School, summer wasn’t just about staying close to home. For Kwong, it meant discovering new foods, landmarks, and cities across Japan, while Cohen sailed through Europe and explored the sights, cultures, and experiences along the way.

Ms. Sarah Miller being surprised with the Order of the Longleaf Pine at the Watauga Theater Department’s end-of-year celebration. Photo Cred: Charlie Stumb, Watauga Yearbook Sofia Carmichael, Community Desk Lead Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, and now Ms. Sarah Miller. What do these people have in common, you might be asking? As of two weeks ago, it is the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. This honor is the highest any civilian can receive in the state of North Caroli

Ralph Nader on the steps of the US Capitol building, middle center. Behind him are the initial group of “Nader’s Raiders,” his public interest law group. Photo Credits: LIFE Magazine. Andrew Larsen, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn Most people in Gen Z haven’t even heard of Ralph Nader. If they have, it’s from his candidacy in the 2000 presidential election and the controversy surrounding it. However, Nader was one of the most important figures during the rights movements of t

Jesse Carswell, the ALP Twilight Director at Watauga High School. The Twilight program offers just about every course that a high school student can take. “Every course necessary to graduate, we offer. We offer a limited number of electives. We're not currently doing PE, and you have to have that and CPR, which we don't offer here,” said Carswell. “Other than that, we offer English one through four, biology, physical science, earth science, math one through four and fundament

For many, pets are core members of their family: essential loved ones who keep them company through times both good and difficult. These experiences are naturally shared among people struggling to find consistent shelter and housing. It can often be difficult to find shelter and aid that is open to their animal companions as well. This becomes a deeply distressing problem, and often a tragic decision must be made between sheltering themselves and keeping their pet.

The Watauga High School orchestra performs at the Holiday Kaleidoscope Concert on December 18, 2025. Some of the orchestra classes that were previously separate have been combined this year and contain students from a variety of grades and skill levels. Photo Credits: Amelia Bennet, Watauga Yearbook Edie Berke, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn Last May, the band and orchestra programs at Watauga experienced a major downsizing. Mr. Will Selle, the previous orchestra director, l

A Watauga High School Student’s closet prior to donating unworn clothes. “Whenever I clean out my closet or find clothing I don't wear anymore, I always donate it rather than throwing it away,” said Athena Elliott, senior. “In my eyes, donating and thrifting clothes gives the pieces a new life and reduces the amount of wasteful clothing production.” Photo Credits: Anna Norris Anna Norris, Editor-In-Chief of The Powderhorn When doing an annual spring clean, how often do your d

Watauga County is unique in a variety of ways, including beautiful hiking trails and ski mountains. But Watauga is unique in another, less pleasing way. In a recent study by the UNC Chapel Hill’s School of Business, Watauga ranked dead last in affordability state-wide.

In late 2019, news began to spread about a new virus called Coronavirus that was breaking out in China. Soon this outbreak became an epidemic. After a few more months, the Coronavirus pandemic took the world by storm. The virus was highly deadly and contagious, so a quarantine was necessary to ensure society’s safety. The world first began to experience this over 6 years ago, but its ripple effects are still felt today. COVID-19 was life changing for everybody.

Every other year, North Carolina’s state legislature passes a new budget for the coming 2 years. At least, that’s what’s supposed to happen. But the legislature hasn’t passed a full budget since 2023, and there’s no compromise in sight at the state capitol in Raleigh. On the ground, that means that public schools are feeling the burn.

Picture of Laura England’s various efforts to promote environmental and sustainability education throughout the High Country. Photo Credits: Sustainability Department at Appalachian State University Ebe Santes, Staff Member for Watauga 10 Climate change is not a distant issue. It is a present and growing challenge that affects ecosystems, communities, and everyday life. From shifting weather patterns to more frequent extreme events, its impacts are becoming harder and harder

The paths a senior can take following graduation are many, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed or lost in the options. College, trade school, and the military are just a few popular paths, but not every senior finds the fit they’re looking for through these opportunities. Because of this, many seniors choose to take a gap year, a break between high school and college or between high school and a career. This time can be spent traveling, volunteering, and working on personal g

Students at Watauga High School have no limit on the extracurriculars they can join to challenge their knowledge in a variety of academic pursuits. From HOSA to DECA, students can pursue most interests beyond the classroom further, and the competitions they offer allow students to take home medals and trophies as recognition for their hard work. One of Watauga’s lesser-known but incredibly wide-ranging competition teams is SkillsUSA, which provides an environment where CTE kn

A Jones House Jam Session. These sessions have people from around the community come together and share traditional folk music and stories. Photo Cred: Mark Freed Sofia Carmichael, Community Desk Lead A banjo, a dulcimer, a haunting melody, and rich storytelling. These are all the elements you might hear in music from the Appalachian region, but what you might not know is how Appalachian folklore has shaped this music tradition. The Appalachian region is cemented by its st