Florida Teen’s ‘Storm Smart’ Program Teaches Hurricane Preparedness to Students – Because the Schools Didn’t
In the wake of Hurricane Irma's devastation, 16-year-old Elise Raurell from South Florida recognized a glaring gap in her community's education system: the absence of hurricane preparedness instruction. Driven by her experience and a desire to make a difference, Raurell founded 'Storm Smart,' a program that equips students with essential knowledge about emergency kits, safety protocols, and the dangers of standing water and glass during storms. Her initiative, which began as a Girl Scout Gold Award project, has since empowered over 500 students, not just with life-saving information, but also with leadership and teaching opportunities as they pass on their learning to peers.
Raurell's approach highlights the power of grassroots action in addressing systemic oversights. By creating a modular curriculum that can be seamlessly integrated into school lessons, she has ensured the program's scalability and sustainability. The success of Storm Smart, evidenced by its adoption by students eager to educate others, underscores the potential of youth-led initiatives in fostering community resilience and safety. Through social media and a dedicated website, the program continues to expand its reach, demonstrating that meaningful change can indeed start with a single, determined individual.
Constructive analysis
The constructive-journalism lens: not just what happened, but what works.
- The problem
- The challenge is the lack of hurricane preparedness education in South Florida schools despite frequent exposure to hurricanes.
- The actions
- Elise Raurell developed a curriculum called 'Storm Smart' to teach students about hurricane preparedness.
- Evidence of progress
- Over 500 students have received Storm Smart educational materials, with many teaching their peers, demonstrating the program's reach and impact.
- What we can learn
- Other communities can replicate this model by empowering students to lead educational initiatives, particularly in areas where institutional education falls short.
PERMA wellbeing profile of this story
Seligman's five pillars of wellbeing, as expressed in this story.
- Positive Emotion
- 8
- Engagement
- 9
- Relationships
- 8
- Meaning
- 9
- Accomplishment
- 10
Character strengths in play
Top VIA strengths this story embodies.
Perseverance
Raurell created Storm Smart in 2015 as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award.
Kindness
She thought she’d do it herself when she realized the schools weren’t teaching hurricane safety.
Leadership
One of the most rewarding parts of this program is seeing students learn the material and then go on to teach their peers about it.
Try this today
Reflect on a local issue that isn't being addressed adequately. Consider how you might take a small step to fill that gap, whether by starting a conversation, organizing a community group, or creating educational materials to share with others.