Think one kid can change the world?

We do.

Play the video: Think one kid can change the world? We do.

Every kid holds something extraordinary.

Our role is to help it take shape.

At Carolina Day, learning is purpose-driven. Teaching is exceptional. Individuality and imagination are essential. Each student is known, supported, and challenged in an environment designed to help them grow.

In the video above, you’ll see a glimpse of what makes Carolina Day distinct. Through moments captured during a recent student photo session, you’ll see the spark each student carries, along with the curiosity, confidence, and sense of purpose that shape their experience here.

For families just beginning to explore Carolina Day, this is a window into a community where potential is recognized, nurtured, and brought to life every day.

Think one kid can change the world?

We do.

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“As I know from personal experience, a CDS education is among the greatest of gifts, a transformative experience of nurture, inspiration, and excellence that provides a template for a life of compassionate expression in our world.”

—Ethan Dunn ’85, CDS Parent

Alumni Stories

Alum JP Daughton
JP Daughton ACDS '86

"Beyond the support and generosity of the community, my teachers and classmates were a fantastic group of people who inspired in me a genuine curiosity about the world."

A professional Academic, JP Daughton is a professor of history at Stanford University, and his academic writing is published widely. As a student at ACDS, he deeply valued the school's close community and the passion of its teachers. Learn more.

Alumna April Dockery
April Dockery CDS '96

“My CDS education has been an invaluable compass throughout my career.”

As the Executive Director of Crisis Management and Operations for Asheville City Schools, April Dockery is no stranger to leadership. While a student at CDS, she led the girls basketball team to state victory two years in a row. Now, the discipline and teamwork she learned as a student athlete help guide her professional life. Learn more.

Alumna Claire Brown
Claire Brown CDS '23

“I’ve always felt like I was prepared to do anything that I wanted to do.”

Recent alumna Claire Brown has dreamed of studying architecture at Virginia Tech since she was in middle school. Now, as a freshman at her dream college, she's grateful for the supportive and caring environment of Carolina Day that helped her realize anything is possible. Learn more.

Alumna Hope Larson
Hope Larson CDS '00

“I’m always trying to reach that kid who feels weird, who’s struggling a bit, and remind them that they matter.”

Hope Larson is an award-winning artist, cartoonist, and graphic novelist, as well as a proud Carolina Day alumna. She hopes to inspire current CDS students who feel isolated or different. Her story shows that everyone can find their passion. Learn more.

Alumna Madison Huffman
Madison Huffman CDS '20

“I wouldn’t be going to school at UNC Chapel Hill if it hadn’t been for Carolina Day.”

Madison Huffman credits her teachers and college counselors at CDS for always encouraging her to explore her passions and for helping her get into her dream school. With her eye on graduate school, the published poet knows that following her interests will help pave the way for her future as a lawyer. Learn more.
 

Alumna Sarah Arison
Sarah Arison CDS '02

“From sparking and encouraging curiosity and passions to creating friendships that would last decades, CDS set me up in every way for college and then to enter life as an adult!”

While in school, Sarah Arison thought she would become a doctor. After embracing a new path, Arison is now the President of the Arison Arts Foundation and helps to fund new and innovative artists and the institutions that foster them. Learn more.

ACDS Alum Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson ACDS '86

“I learned to succeed on a different level, a higher field than I’d ever played on before.”

After a fulfilling career as a zookeeper, ACDS alum Dave Johnson now serves full time as the executive director for the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund and helps fund animal conservation projects in over 20 countries all over the world. Johnson was inspired by his teachers, who encouraged him from the moment he stepped foot on campus. Learn more.

“One thing I hope is that when students are considering their [future] careers and the work that they do, that they’re not just considering themselves, they’re thinking about the impacts they have. Of course, I want them to do things they love, but in doing things that you love, there are ways that you can connect community-wise, globally and thoughtfully.”

—Susan White, Upper School faculty member

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