It’s been seven weeks since flooding caused by Hurricane Helene displaced many people in southwestern Virginia. Jessica Cross works as a school counselor at Holston High School in Damascus, one of Virginia’s hardest-hit towns. After the flood, she and other teachers went door to door carrying supplies to check on students.

“They have the ability to bounce right back. “I mean, they’re resilient,” said Cross, who works at the school through Highlands Community Services.

The week schools were closed, teachers and students went into volunteer mode and cleaned neighbors’ houses. Since no school buildings were damaged, schools became the center of relief efforts.

Cross was surprised that schools were able to reopen ten days after the flood, and they held their homecoming events as planned, a few weeks after Helene. But he thinks the feeling of normalcy and something fun to celebrate helps students.

The healing process continues for people in Damascus and the surrounding communities of Green Cove, Taylor’s Valley and Konnarock. Some students lose their homes permanently (Cross said he believes they are staying with friends and family).

“But maybe what I’ve been looking for since school started was dramatic reactions to little things,” Cross said. “And that has increased a little bit. “I don’t know if that’s the case, but it may have been a result of the stress the whole town had to go through there for a few weeks.”

Now that the emergency phase is over, Cross said people have run out of adrenaline and are facing a new phase of coping with trauma.

“Maybe some of those feelings may come back a little bit, and so will the adults,” Cross said. “I mean, I’ve talked to a lot of teachers who have been affected, and it’s important to be there for them.”

Damascus’ high school football team, Holston Cavaliers, performed well this season and made it to the play-offs. Cross said it was nice to be able to celebrate their accomplishments amid the stress of rebuilding after the flood.