By Felix Dowsley, FBRA Boys Program Director This essay first appeared on the website of The Mountain Tactical Institute. Every week, our school fields seventy two students and fourteen staff in an ever-rotating program of whitewater paddling, rock climbing, service work, and downhill skiing. I read every incident report and look for trends, hoping to […]
The Most Dangerous Activity At Our School Read More »
FBRA graduation ceremonies are unique in that each graduating 8th grader addresses the audience, in contrast to having a valedictorian deliver the class address. The ceremonies offer a special time for our community to celebrate the achievements of our graduating 8th graders, to reflect upon the impact of three years in our program, and for
The Reason Our Staff Paddle By Will Yeiser, Executive Director and Co-Founder One of the many concepts that influenced the creation of the French Broad River Academy (FBRA) came from legendary climber, businessman, environmentalist, and founder of Patagonia, Inc. Yvon Chouinard. In his book “Let My People Go Surfing,” he outlines his business approach of
Let My People Go Paddling Read More »
Step outside of Asheville With These Five Family-Friendly SUmmer Outdoor Destinations We all know that Asheville is a mecca for outdoor adventure. It’s easy to pack up the gear and be in the woods in no time. However, if you’re seeking some fresh territory, then check out these five family-friendly summer outdoor spots just an
FBRA’s Top Five Family- Friendly Summer Outdoor Spots Read More »
David Miller Brings Riverskate to FBRA This spring a small group of FBRA students participated in the groundbreaking RIVERSKATE Design + Build + Paddle. This marked the debut of the riverskate, the first stand-up paddleboard (SUP) designed for whitewater freestyle. Over three months, participants embarked on a journey from concept to creation. Starting with hand-shaped
Building Next Generation Whitewater Craft at FBRA: Riverskate Read More »
It’s been another active year of community service for French Broad River Academy students and staff. We are grateful to our many service partners around the region. They are doing such important work fighting for the environment, food insecurity, and social justice. Marshall Native Gardens Service Partners Recently in an article in the Citizen Times,
FBRA Service Around WNC Read More »
FBRA’s Class of 2020 Alumni Gather to Reflect on their time at FBRA On, May 21, 2024, we invited the Class of 2020 to come out and reminisce about the good old middle-school days of French Broad River Academy. After hearing these soon-to-graduate-from-high-school young men and women reflect on their time at FBRA, we can
Class of 2020 Alumni Gathering Read More »
Woodfin Wave Next Door to FBRA On May 20, 2024, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported that Woodfin’s whitewater wave likely to be completed in 2024 as the only whitewater wave in WNC. French Broad River Academy is uniquely positioned to access the feature, as it will be situated right between our North and South campuses. For
Whitewater Wave Coming in 2024 Read More »
How tackling hard things benefits us all, by Tricia Chan Tricia Chan is the program director for girls at the French Broad River Academy, an independent middle school in Asheville. She has more than 15 years of experience working in education and curriculum design, and integrating nontraditional instruction with student development and transformational field experiences.
In Defense Of Challenge Read More »
This trip was more than just an adventure – it had been a journey of discovery, of connection, and of profound appreciation for the wonders of the natural world. Ellie Busse This past November my husband, Joe, and I embarked on an epic adventure with a wonderful group of friends. Our itinerary promised adrenaline-packed kayaking