Scars from the Tornado (15 page)

THE TORNADO

BY
J
ERRY
B
LAND

As the clouds
swirled across the sky
And
the twister stayed for a second
of play, Across like Joplin like a big playground After that, there was no
sound.

Before the
night in the oh so bright, A day, a time for play, bikes going around, Kids
with no frown, savoring the smile, But disguising the frown
To be paid for the
night of fright.

Where mothers
clutch their children in a bear hug,
Everybody
inside
praying for the night to end They thought they were sleeping,
But outside,
everything was broken and stone cold

For the night
of fright was over!

SORRY

BY
A
BIGAIL
R
USSELL

The clouds
rolled in,
Turning the sky
into a dark gray,
The wind blew
strong,
The trees shivered
in coldness,
The sky cried,
Lightning bolts
strike,
BOOM, CRACKLE, SNAP
the thunder went,
Sirens roared in
warning,
A monstrous cloud
rolled in,
Spinning until it
hit the ground,
Some went into
their basement or safe room,
Some went into an
empty closet or a hallway,
Mothers and father
holding onto their children and each other, Trying to stay together,
The wind was too
strong,
For some it was too
much they couldn’t hold on long enough, The wind blowing homes off their
foundation and shredded the homes, People praying for their loved ones lives,
When the tornado
faded away,
Families dug
through rubble,
Looking for their
loved ones,
Some were found alive,
But some were found
died,
This was a terrible
disaster we will soon never forget.

Abigail
Russell was a seventh grader during the 2011-2012 school year.

THIS IS
JOPLIN’S LIFE

BY
B
ETH
D
ULINSKY

In Two
Thousand and nine, Just two years in time,
Disaster befell the
trees
In
mid-Missouri

But none were
killed or hurt
Though
thousands fell that day By winds
that swept our hills, Our fields, our fruited plains

Was then I
said, “Alarm! God seeks to do us harm,
Lest
we repent
and stay From sins we sin this day!”

But we
repented not,
And God we just
forgot,
And
blindly rushed ahead, Alive, but surely
dead.

So barely two
years on
The
winds struck yet again From
Kansas south, then east To Alabama, not the least Tornadoes struck and killed
Three hundred souls and more, We haven’t yet the count
We cannot keep the
score

A city now
destroyed,
One
city of our land Yea, Joplin lies
destroyed By God’s afflicting hand

But will we
hear him now? We heard him not before
When
only trees
lay still Before destruction’s door.

Yea, will we
hear him now?

REMEMBER -
I BELIEVE IN YOU!

When you feel
afraid
Remember I believe
in you!
When things seem
hard
Remember I believe
in you!
When it seems like
no one cares
Remember I believe
in you!
When you feel like
you just can’t do it
Remember I believe
in you!
When someone tries
to get you to do something you know you shouldn’t do
Remember
I believe in you!
When there is a
voice telling you that you are stupid Remember I believe in you!
You Are Smart and
You Can Learn!
You are capable of
doing much greater things than
you can imagine
,
if you are willing to work hard!
It has been my
honor to have you as a student!
I’m a better person
because I got to know you!
So Never Give Up On
Yourself
!
You know I never
did and I never will!
Keep trying and
always remember that
You
Are Loved!
and
I BELIEVE IN
YOU!!!!!

Ms. Kathy
Weaver EMS May 2012

This has been
such a tough year for staff and students. We came out of the disaster last year
and everyone had an emotionally and often physically challenging summer. We
faced a lot of changes coming back. My goal coming into our new temporary
school this year was to provide a safe environment for my students to grow and
excel in.

Many of my
students were misplaced due to the tornado. Their lives had been turned upside
down. Their resilience in the face of the overwhelming changes was
inspirational and often times heartbreaking. I wanted so badly to protect them
from the hardships they had to face.

Instead I
turned to supporting and encouraging them as they dealt with the changes and
the challenges. I am an emotional person and my students often tease me about
it! They take delight in saying “Ms. Kathy you are going to cry when I leave
this year aren’t
ya
!” This year the tears came much
earlier and much more often throughout the year! Somehow the students became a
much deeper part of me!

A lot of the
students who were misplaced will be moving on and not returning to our district
as they locate homes in other communities. This is a tougher year for letting
go for both them and myself. It seems even more important to them that I won’t
forget them.

This poem is
dedicated to my students whom have become my heart! I want them to know that I
believe in them and I will not forget them. Wherever they go in this world, I
want them to know that there is someone out there who loves them and believes
in them!!!!

Kathy
Weaver is a special education teacher at East Middle School.

PARTING THOUGHTS

MY PUPPY

BY
C
ARA
M
ARSHALL

The best gift
I have ever received was my puppy. I have been asking for years to get a puppy
and finally, I got one this summer. She is an Australian Shepherd. I named her
Mia. I am so excited and happy that I finally have a dog of my own. She is
black and white and full of energy. I love her to pieces.

She is the
best gift I have ever had because she makes me happy and now I have someone to
have fun with after school.

Cara
Marshall was an eighth grader during the 2011-2012 school year.

THE HALLOWEEN
DANCE

BY
J
IMMIE
W
ILLERTON

For those who
missed the Halloween dance, it was a lot of fun. We had a DJ, concessions and
even a king and queen.

Reluctantly, I
was crowned king and
Breanna
Pace was crowned queen.
In addition to the crown, we received gift cards and free concessions all
night.

Over all, the
Halloween dance was great, with lots of fellowship and fun.

Jimmie
Willerton
was an eighth grader during the 2011-2012 school
year.

DANCING

BY
A
UDREY
K
ANAN

I have had a
lot of memorable moments this year. One is dancing. I just kind of let go at
the first dance and my reputation changed.

It was a
little embarrassing, but it was also an accomplishment because I am usually too
shy to dance in front of people.

Another
memorable moment was having my first kiss- it was the most awkward thing ever,
but everyone said it was cute.

It was a
pretty good year with moments I will never forget.

Audrey
Kanan
was an eighth grader during the 2011-2012 school
year.

MAKING THE
SQUAD

BY
M
ADISON
M
EINHARDT

This weekend I
was so excited because I found out I made the freshman cheerleading team. It
was 11:30 at night before I got the e-mail. I actually put the wrong e-mail
address down so my friend Annie had to call me and tell me who all made it. I
was so happy to find out I did make it, but so disappointed that my best friend
did not.

Madison
Meinhardt
was an eighth grader during the 2011-2012 school
year.

MORE
RESPONSIBILITIES

BY
L
OGAN
W
HITEHEAD

We only have a
few months until high school and that can be good or bad. I am definitely
looking forward to getting to meet new people and trying new things. I am not
looking forward to the harder work, though. There will be more responsibilities
and the pressure is harder.

We’ll see how
it goes.

Logan
Whitehead was an eighth grader during the 2011-2012 school year.

A BRAND-NEW
SCHOOL

BY
A
MELIA
S
TREET

The bond issue
was voted on last night and it passed. That means we will have brand-new
schools, instead of staying at the mall. That means I will graduate from a brand-new
high school!

I can’t wait
until high school.

Amelia
Street was an eighth grader during the 2011-2012 school year.

NINTH
GRADE, HERE I COME

BY
T
AELOR
S
TONE

I have wanted
to be in high school for as long as I can remember. I am looking forward to
being a volleyball player for Joplin High School.

I am probably
going to be scared because it is going to be a huge school. I am scared of
getting lost. I am going to have to be at one side of the building on hour and
then the next hour I will be on the opposite side of the building. I will have
to find my classes and it will be very hard to get used to.

I can’t wait
to get into high school with my friends. Ninth grade
yearhere
I come!!!

Taelor
Stone was an eighth grader
during the 2011-2012 school year.

A THANK YOU
FROM ALL OF US AT EAST

BY
R
ANDY
T
URNER

When the
2011-2012 school year started, the national media was naturally attracted to
the spectacle of a mall high school. Our school district’s 11th and 12th Grade Center
in the former Shopko department store at
Northpark
Mall was not only a ready-made news story, but it was also right in the middle
of downtown Joplin.

The warehouse
that we now call home is not in the center of Joplin. We are situated on the
far eastern end of the school district. After an opening day visit by Gov. Jay
Nixon, our time in the spotlight had ended.

But we were
never forgotten.
While the mall high
school became a media magnet, for obvious reasons, our school continued to
receive the thoughts and prayers of the nation, something for which we are
eternally grateful.

Donations were
made through the Bright Futures program to East, and teachers were the
recipients of thousands of books, supplies, and other donated items.

All of us have
stories to tell about the generosity of people whom we had never met prior to
May 22, 2011.