• The Stories

• At Home With the Quirks

  Natalie and Chaz Quirk have recently taken jobs as interns at Mountain Farm, a local and organic lavender and goat farm.

  By Margaret Cheatham Williams

• One of the Boys

  Brad received full custody of his daughter after she was abused while in her mother’s care. Now he, with his friends at his side, faces the challenges of raising her in a town with limited opportunities.

  By Caitlyn Greene

• Forged in Faith

  Blacksmithing side-by-side for 59 years, Mike Hensley and his father, Bea, created world-renowned ironwork while forging a friendship and faith that is everlasting.

  By Catherine Orr

• A Cook, Not a Chef

  Norma McHale has built a faithful following as a cook at Hilltop Restaurant in downtown Burnsville, NC. Customers say her simple charm and traditional cuisine keep them coming back for seconds.

  By Kaitlin McKeown

• Joined by the Saddle

  The connection between humans and horses is an old one, but there will always be someone new to discover it. Springmaid Mountain’s horses described by those closest to to them.

  By Audrey Whitmeyer-Weathers

• Music of Old

  Bill and Shirley Young, owners of Young’s Mountain Music, have preserved local culture for over 16 years by providing a space for performance, dance, and community.

  By Jessica Crabill

• Society's Orphans

  A haven for children from abusive households, the Stepping Stones program at Crossnore School prepares its students for the challenging transition to adulthood.

  By Ali Cengiz

• Road to Redemption

  Skip Weiford announced his calling to become a pastor a year after finding Christ at the age of 43 . He shares his passion for Harleys and his love for the lord with the leather clad members of his congregation at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC.

  By Kevin Ziechmann

• Intentionally Together

  Home to “wonderfully quirky” nature lovers, artists and gardeners, Celo in Yancey County is one of the oldest intentional communities in the nation.

  By Elizabeth Ladzinski

• Filling the Seat

  After 40 years of crafting chairs, Arval Woody passed the family business on to the next generation.

  By Reiley Wooten

• Living for Alan

  Yessinia and Fidel dreamed of returning to a family and a future in Mexico, but when Alan was born with a rare genetic disorder, everything changed.

  By Megan Camm

• Not My Last Rodeo

  George Ledford may be nearly twice the age of the cowboys at the Arbuckle Rodeo in Burnsville, N.C., but he’s not ready to let go of the rope.

  By Terri Flagg

• Grandfather's Clocks

  Luther Stroup of Spruce Pine, NC, continues his grandfather’s legacy at the Stroup Hobby Shop by crafting custom-made grandfather clocks.

  By Katherine Vance

• The Mountain Perspective

  Wild Acres Retreat is not just a mountain vacation resort – it’s a place where open-minded people can gather to improve themselves and the world.

  By Sarah Riazati

• Grist for the Mill

  After working for 38 years as a rocket scientist, Jack Dellinger, a fourth-generation miller from Bakersville, N.C returned home to the peace of the Appalachians.

  By Lisa Pepin

• What Binds Us?

  John Littleton and Kate Vogul are both glassmakers who raised their three kids in Bakersville, North Carolina. Through glass, John and Kate were able to connect their family in a way unimaginable.

  By Alyssa Champion

• The Core of the Community

  Bill Carson runs the The Orchard at Altapass with his wife Judy. The Carsons purchased the orchard 15 years ago and have transformed it into a non-profit enterprise.

  By Benjamin Pierce

• Madre of Mercy

  A nun finds inspiration and hope in the face of daunting obstacles facing the Hispanic community in Western Appalachia.

  By Daniel Sircar

• Loggin' and Loaferin'

  Tim Glenn of Little Switzerland, N.C., has been cutting down trees for over 15 years, yet he still takes time to stop and smell the roses.

  By Cristina Fletes

About CPJW 2010

Carolina Photojournalism Workshop Spring 2010 | Little Switzerland, North Carolina

The Carolina Photojournalism Workshop was founded in 2004. Each year a small group of multimedia students travel to a different part of our state to produce a documentary website in a week.

Over the years, the workshop has become an indispensable learning experience for our students. There are no distractions; students work from dawn to dusk everyday, pushing themselves and their colleagues to become better journalists. Students work closely with some of the finest professionals in the industry, staying up late into the evening performing nightly edits.

In May 2010, during the seventh annual Carolina Photojournalism Workshop, 19 students worked tirelessly for seven days to produce a diverse collection of stories that document life in and around the small mountain town of Little Switzerland. The base camp was Wild Acres, a beautiful retreat located on Pompey’s Knob, a mountain just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at an altitude of 3,300 feet. From a makeshift newsroom we could see for miles out over the Blue Ridge Mountains, with many of the highest peaks in the Eastern U.S. within view. On the first night students drew story ideas out of a hat and for the next six days they worked to produce finished stories. The workshop concluded with an impromptu viewing party for producers, story participants and the community, which was a truly special way to end the week.

Past workshops have been recognized with awards by the Webby Awards, National Press Photographer’s Association, College Photographer of the Year, Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar, Horizon Interactive Awards and the Society for News Design.

We invite you to explore our online archive of Carolina Photojournalism Workshops.

Special Thanks to