FBRA Blog
I’ve had a fascination with traveling for as long as I can remember. Going to Costa Rica with FBRA is most likely what started it though. I met new people each year and lived with different families, which gave me a chance to see their different ways of living. FBRA pushed me out of my comfort zone for the three years that I attended. Many of my teachers repeated the phrase, “You can do hard things,” and although it was repetitive then, I still repeat it sometimes. Because of the time I spent with host families in Costa Rica, I wasn’t nervous about living with a Finnish host family.
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By Will Yeiser, Executive Director & Co-Founder This year the French Broad River Academy (FBRA) celebrates its fifteenth year of building character and integrity for a lifetime of learning, service, and leadership. FBRA at 15 has served over 1,100 students and families since we opened our doors in 2009. Whether we are in the classroom, […]
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“So much of who we are is described by the choices we make. More than anything, I am proud that we chose to show up and give our best effort to what ended up being simultaneously one of the most challenging and most joyful things that either of us has ever done.“ Nora Randolph, FBRA […]
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Ellie teaches 8th grade Biology at the Boys Program. Where were you and what were you doing before coming to FBRA? I took a “ski-batical” last year and lived in Ogden, UT. I worked and taught skiing at Snowbasin Ski Resort in the beautiful Wasatch mountain range. Prior to that I was teaching science at […]
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Anna teaches math at the FBRA Girls Program. Where were you and what were you doing before coming to FBRA? Before coming to FBRA, I was working as a French Immersion teacher in a public school in a county outside of Richmond, VA. Before teaching in the public school system, I was working to get […]
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Hi, my name is David Clarke. In addition to being the Boys Program Outdoor Director, I love camping with friends and family in the Asheville area. I would like to share my top 5 group family camping spots in WNC. These group sites are the perfect destination for a weekend getaway with other FBRA families […]
Read MoreWill Yeiser, Executive Director Service learning has been woven into the curriculum at the French Broad River Academy since day one. We intentionally build opportunities into our weekly field lessons to fulfill our mission of building character and integrity for a lifetime of learning, service, and leadership, especially during the holiday season. Service has and […]
Read MoreFelix Dowsley, Boys Program Director Let’s face it: the watershed will never be clean. At least, not with the way our species currently inhabits it. But the infinite tasks bring purpose to life. For me those are teaching, learning, exploring, and serving. As our students serve our watershed, they connect the place-based aspects of our […]
Read MoreRiffing on keyboards, thumping the bass, strumming a melody, bangin’ the beat, and sweet sounding vocals filled the air of the FBRA North Campus the week before December break. Thanks to some great logistical planning, FBRA was able to hold the Girls and Boys Winterfest concerts as in-person events. The audience moved in and out […]
Read MoreAs recently as twenty years ago, it was quite unusual for students to take a gap year between high school and college. There are reports this year that over 30% of high school seniors are considering taking a year off of formal education before entering college. What was once seen as strange is now pretty […]
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