CORE is accepting new students! Read more
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Youth Programs
CORE currently facilitates four youth groups that meet weekly rotating between New Dimensions Charter School, Bigfoot Climbing Gym, and various “Special Meeting” spots. On weekends, CORE students and eager parents come together for outdoor adventures across Western North Carolina. The experience and skill gained throughout the year culminates in an extended wilderness expedition during the summer.
For more details about weekly meetings, weekend trips, service projects, or wilderness expeditions:
"The Pond"
Weekly meeting times and age groups:
Tadpoles
Girls ages 6 to 8
Wednesday 4:30 to 5:45
Frogs
Girls ages 9 to 12
Wednesday 6:00 to 7:30
Salamanders
Boys ages 9 to 12
Thursday 4:30 to 6:00
Amphibians
Co-ed ages 13 to 18
Thursday 6:00 to 7:45
Interested in Enrolling a Student?
We invite anyone interested in CORE to contact us directly via email. Prospective families are encouraged to attend a weekly meeting to determine if CORE is the right fit before committing to join. New students will be accepted starting January 1st, 2025. Spots are filling up fast, so please reach out to secure a place in a group or on the waitlist!
MorgantonCORE@gmail.com
Our Team
Whisper Smith, Executive Director
Whisper graduated from UNC Asheville with a degree in Environmental Studies. Seeing an opportunity to pass her passion for the environment down to future generations, Whisper began working in countless youth and outdoor education programs, including the YMCA, Mountain Alliance, and The American Adventure Service Corps (TAASC). After graduation, she and her husband Jacob took on various seasonal guiding roles as they traveled across the country climbing, biking, and paddling whatever they could! Whisper has always been passionate about providing outdoor recreation opportunities to youth, especially in the community she grew up and developed her skills in. To serve the Morganton community, Whisper and Jacob helped to create CORE, a sustainable outdoor program accessible to all. When not running trips or teaching weekly meetings, she can be found planning her next big mountain expedition or playing outside. Whisper holds NOLS Wilderness First Responder and Starfish Aquatics Wilderness Lifeguard certifications, six years of experience in outdoor education, and three years of experience in administration and booking keeping as the CFO for adventure design company, Beanstalk Bridges.
Jacob Cioffoletti, Program Director
Jacob graduated from Appalachian State University with degrees in Recreation Management and Construction Science. In school Jacob held a variety of positions that all focused on helping others get outside, including acting as an instructor for Mountain Alliance and French Swiss Ski School, and volunteering for the local fire department. Following graduation, Jacob and Whisper traveled the country working seasonal guiding positions, his favorite being a glacier and ice climbing guide, in both Alaska and Colorado before returning to Morganton to act as Program Directors for The American Adventure Service Corps (TAASC) for four years. A dedicated outdoor educator, Jacob's enthusiasm for getting kids outdoors is also evident in his business, Beanstalk Bridges, which designs and constructs playgrounds, treehouses, low ropes courses, other structures that promote play and exploration for youth. When’s not on the job site or teaching at CORE, you might find Jake climbing big icy mountains or in rapids with a paddle in his hands. Jacob holds NOLS Wilderness First Responder, AMGA SPI, AIARE AVI1, Starfish Aquatics Wilderness Lifeguard certifications and has over 12 years of professional experience in outdoor recreation.
I can't say enough about Whisper and Jacob as outdoor leaders and educators. For the past few years, my granddaughter has been a member of a wilderness activity group that they led, and my observations are based on my participation in many of their activities and trips. Whether it is hiking, camping, canoeing or rock climbing--or simply building self esteem--Whisper and Jacob are not only capable, experienced and knowledgeable, but unfailingly encouraging and supportive of their young charges. The only thing that they expect in return from their students are kindness and respect toward each other.
- Paul Wardzinski (CORE Grandparent)