About E-powr

The Mission

e-powr is an independent North Carolina 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to equipping rural schools, families, and communities. Our mission is to engage, educate, and empower confident, capable children through interactive safety programming and the creation of proactive, positive learning environments. By providing these resources at no cost to budget-strapped schools, we ensure every child has access to the tools they need to live confident and unafraid.

 

The Team

E-powr is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors whose members bring four decades of classroom experience, enterprise technology, and professional storytelling to the work.

 

• Greg Root, Board Chair — Enterprise architect with SAP, one of the largest business software companies in the world.

• Dwan Mitchell, Secretary — 40+ year veteran educator in NC public school system.

• Phil Card, Treasurer — Former Disney writer, producer and performer, now a Park Ranger.

• Dr. Jay Banks, PhD, Executive Director — Spent 40 years delivering research-based student programming in 45 states.

• Cheryl Fehr-Banks, MSW, LCSW, Clinical Lead — Ensures programs are grounded in evidence-based behavioral health practice.

 

Contact our Board of Directors → info@e-powr.com

 

The Program Framework

I AM UNAFRAID is built on the whole-school approach research links to the greatest reductions in bullying: engaging students, training teachers, and equipping parents and caregivers. The most comprehensive whole-school programs have documented reductions of up to 50% (Olweus, 1994).​ It utilizes the VARK Presentation Model—incorporating Visual storytelling, Auditory call-and-response, Reading stage text cues, and Kinesthetic movement—to reach every student's unique learning style.

 

The framework is built around a core 4-Point Strategy (Avoid Bullies, Find a Friend, Report Bullying, Act Confident) and extends far beyond the initial student presentation. By integrating Faculty Professional Development and Parent Workshops (featuring a 24-hour clinical response window), we equip the entire community to sustain a safe campus culture.