Support The Rising
Most teenagers don't walk into a room thinking about college. They walk in thinking about what feels good and whether they belong. The Rising meets them exactly there.
The Rising is a free arts and creative writing program for students ages 13–18 across Macon and Jackson Counties in Western North Carolina. Our flagship experience, Art Day, brings students to Cowee School of Arts & Heritage for a full day of hands-on creation alongside working professional artists. Rotations vary and may include watercolor painting, wet felting, illustration, screen printing, and more.
Every seat is free. No fees. No barriers. No exceptions. Your support makes that possible.
Public Schools
Free to students — funded through community sponsors, grants, and The Rising initiative.
Private & Independent Schools
Invited to inquire about partnership rates for in-school workshops and author visits.
The Rising — How It Works
Art Day — Building the Bridge
Students arrive for a full day of hands-on creation at Cowee School of Arts & Heritage. For many, it is their first time in a professional arts space. Throughout the day, connections are made. Students meet a published author, working artists, and each other. They create something with their own hands and leave with it. Trust begins here.
Club Days — Deepening the Relationship
After Art Day, The Rising comes to them. In-school "club" experiences bring creative writing, self-expression, and arts exploration directly into students' schools. Students continue to find their voice in a safe, consistent space. This is where the hide-the-vegetables magic happens — they are building communication skills, self-awareness, and emotional regulation through creativity, without it ever feeling like an intervention.
Mental Health & Stability — The Foundation
This age group needs positive outlets and stability before they can envision a future. The Rising gives them both. A student with a creative outlet, a trusted adult, and a consistent space to express themselves is a student who can begin to think clearly about who they are and where they are going. Art is not the destination — it is the stable ground they stand on to look forward.
Opening Doors — Careers, Campuses & Futures
Once trust is established and students are grounded, The Rising begins to open doors they did not know existed. College campus visits, career exploration days, and exposure to higher education pathways in WNC become natural next steps. Students who once could not picture themselves in those spaces begin to see that they belong there. That is the bridge. That is The Rising.
Partnering with Cowee: Cowee School of Arts & Heritage generously covers artist fees and student art supplies. What your gift funds is everything else — student transportation, teacher substitute fees, student swag bags, snacks throughout the day, and the full event coordination that brings it all together. Every dollar goes directly to putting students in that room.
Choose Your Fenix Wing Tier
| Tier | Amount | What Your Gift Funds |
|---|---|---|
| SPARK | $10 | Supports one student's Art Day |
| EMBER | $25 | One swag item for every student in a full group — journals, pencils, stickers, multicolor pencils, and a snack go home with every creator |
| FLAME | $50 | Supports five students' Art Days |
| BLAZE | $100 | Supports ten students' Art Days |
| INFERNO | $250+ | Covers student transportation ($150/bus) and teacher substitute fees for a full Art Day group |
For Foundations ✦ Civic Organizations ✦ Higher Ed Partners
Event Sponsor — $1,500
One full Art Day for up to 21 students, fully organized and run by Nita Lipan from start to finish.
| Student transportation | $150 |
| Teacher substitute fees (3 teachers) | ~$300 |
| Student swag bags & snacks (21 students) | ~$250 |
| Event coordination & program direction | included |
| Total | $1,500 |
Schools with larger groups can schedule across multiple days with sponsorship adjusted accordingly. Schools handle only permission slips and photo release forms — we handle everything else.
To become an Event Sponsor, contact us at linktr.ee/nitawritesfantasy
Every Fenix Wing Receives
✦ Personalized thank-you from Nita ✦ Free ebook from her children's book collection
✦ Quarterly updates with photos and stories from The Rising
Blaze and Inferno donors also receive a handwritten note, named recognition across all platforms,
and a signed book of their choice mailed directly to them.
"There's only one you, and that's priceless."
— Nita Lipan ✦ Author, Educator & Founder, The Rising ✦ Fenix Rising Press
