Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and claimed 108 lives, First Lady Melania Trump stood before students at a small elementary school that once served as an emergency distribution center, praising the community’s grit and urging young Americans to embrace the power of knowledge.
Trump visited Mountain View Elementary School in Jefferson, North Carolina, on Tuesday to mark the somber anniversary while championing AI literacy in the classroom. The STEM-focused campus in rural Ashe County specializes in artificial intelligence, robotics, and engineering.
“Almost 2 years ago, Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina with incredible force,” the first lady told the crowd of students and staff. “Record breaking rainfall led your state legislature to describe it as multiple 1,000-year flood events. Hundreds of roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed. Over 1 million people lost power, and many neighborhoods lost water, communication, and other vital services, including Ashe County.”
The September 2024 storm kept children out of school for more than 30 days as facilities were converted into relief centers.
Trump spoke directly to the children about what they endured. “For children here at Mountain View Elementary, the storm took away much more than just your daily routine,” she said. “Your neighborhood was flooded and your school was transformed into a distribution center. For too many kids across the state, the familiar daily routines of classrooms, teachers, and friends were suddenly gone.”
But the first lady’s message wasn’t one of despair. She highlighted how the community came together in the aftermath.
“But as the water levels rose, you stepped up for one another,” Trump continued. “Families welcomed others into their homes. Brave individuals rushed towards the dangers to assist, and faith leaders gave comfort. Teachers became anchors of stability, and your school turned into more than a place to learn. It turned into a lifeline providing food, water, supplies, counseling and hope.”
The visit also served to promote the Presidential AI Challenge, an initiative the first lady has championed since President Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024. The program invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to develop projects using artificial intelligence to address community challenges. Educators are encouraged to find creative approaches to teaching AI technologies.
North Carolina produced a winner of the challenge, Trump noted.
She invited Carrie Robledo, a second grade teacher at Star Elementary School, to speak about her award-winning program called AI Insect Detectives, which teaches young students the fundamentals of machine learning through science activities.
“As a rural teacher, I am incredibly grateful to First Lady Melania Trump for creating the Presidential AI Challenge and helping shine a light on the importance of AI literacy starting in elementary school,” Robledo said. “I’m honored to help our youngest students explore AI and see themselves as innovators, no matter their zip code.”
The first lady praised Robledo’s work and tied it back to the resilience theme of her visit.
“Ms. Robledo built something that no hurricane can destroy and no flood can wash away knowledge. And knowledge is power,” Trump said. “Knowledge gives everyone in this town the chance to move beyond Helene and to imagine new possibilities. It gives the next generation the choice to help create a beautiful world in the future, a better America.”
The visit reminded Americans that recovery from natural disasters isn’t just about rebuilding roads and bridges. It’s about rebuilding hope, particularly for the youngest among us.
