New Room, Same Program: How Mountain Alliance is Adapting

An information table outside Mountain Alliance’s new location in the Media Center. Mountain Alliance was founded in 1990 to grow student leadership skills.

Aspen Hickman, Staff Writer for the Powderhorn

You probably already know about Mountain Alliance, or their afterschool program, School’s Out. They can be seen preparing for trips or going to School’s Out for homework help. You might even have gone on one of Mountain Alliance’s many adventures, such as hiking, rock climbing, or trash clean-up. What you might not know is where Mountain Alliance is based on the Watauga campus. Now, more than ever, it’s a little hard to find. 

“The new Mountain Alliance location is in the back of the media center. I feel like it doesn’t affect their mission, but I feel like it’s harder to go back there and learn about Mountain Alliance or ask questions,” said Aimee Griffiths, a senior and regular participant in a variety of Mountain Alliance’s activities. 

Before this school year, Mountain Alliance was located in the 2100 hallway, along with the theatre classes and some studio art courses. Mike Combs, who teaches social studies, now uses the old room. School’s Out has remained in the Media Center, but another important function of the program has had to adapt.

“We no longer have lunches in our space,” said Sarah Briggs, who runs School’s Out. “We’re doing Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in a separate part of the commons, but we don’t have that opportunity for people to come and sit in our room away from the hustle and bustle of the lunch room.”

For many students, the cafeteria can be quite overwhelming. Last year, Mountain Alliance wasn’t only a place for kids to get away from the noise. Students could eat lunch in the Mountain Alliance room, but now everyone has to eat in the cafeteria. 

“[The new location] has affected lunches, which I feel like is, aside from School’s Out and trips, the third strongest thing about Mountain Alliance. There was this space to go to escape the loud craziness of the cafeteria, and you don’t really have that anymore. They still have the lunches, but they’re in the cafeteria, and you still get that loudness from the other side,” said Griffiths.

Mountain Alliance offers some longer trips, including Rolling Academy, which takes place over the summer. They also offer a spring break trip every year. Though Mountain Alliance’s activities don’t take place in their designated space, preparation for them does. 

“It has been a challenge when we have a trip. There’s not a lot of space now for us to designate a space for people getting ready for a trip when School’s Out is happening at the same time,” said Briggs.

School’s Out has always been held in the media center after school, and it provides many services for the students who utilize it. Students can get tutoring in many subjects, as well as snacks and a place to wait for parents to arrive. 

“Personally, since I run the after-school program, I really like being in the shared space with where School’s Out is held. If someone needs a quiet space, we have a little bit more access to that,” said Briggs. 

There have been a lot of questions about why the move was made, and there have undoubtedly been major changes. Many students are unclear on what this move means for Mountain Alliance’s functions at Watauga. 

“From what we were told, teachers needed more space…” said Briggs. “There are a lot more students who go to this school than I think anyone ever anticipated. So there are more teachers, and a lot were on carts. They were trying to get teachers off of carts and into classrooms.”