Community Spirit in Face of Tragedy

As part of my upcoming trip to South Korea I am supposed to prepare a lesson to teach in an English speaking class at a local high school.  The topics of our lessons was left open for each individual U.S. teacher.  Something hit me that perhaps the recent events in the community of my school & students would provide an ideal platform for a lesson.

I began thinking about natural disasters and the way that communities respond and help each other to overcome the disaster.  "Community" can be a very broad term to include just those in the immediate vicinity all the way to interpreting "community" as a common bond of human spirit across the planet.  So that the lesson is relevant to my Korean students I don't want this lesson to solely focus on the F5 tornado which hit Moore, OK on May 20th.  I've already begun researching natural disasters which have impacted the Korean Peninsula over the last decade or so: events which include a few typhoons (we call them hurricanes) and a massive flood in Seoul in 2011.  I hope to work these events into the lesson so as to help my Korean students make local connection with international events; I also hope to refine and replicate this lesson for my students back at Southmoore.

In preparation, I've found these images of front pages from newspapers in the aftermath of the May 20th tornado.  The Newseum, my current favorite museum in Washington, DC, has archived these images on their website.  I'm working on the best way to incorporate them into my lesson.  If you have any constructive ideas to help flush out this lesson please leave them in the comments section below; honestly, your insight is greatly appreciated

Tornado: Part Seven

The enormity of the devastation and the overwhelming feelings associated by the clean-up are enough to wear anyone down.  Combine all of that with the waiting for insurance findings/reports and FEMA paperwork and funerals to attend for friends/families and work responsibilities and and and and...my heart continues to break for those who have been directly impacted by this tragedy.

In the face of all of this tragedy I find myself  being worn down by thoughts of why them and not me?  I have still have a school to go to (granted its lack of electricity, phones, and internet have complicated the post-school work expected at the end of the year) and yet my colleagues at our neighboring schools of of Briarwood and Plaza Towers do not.  I have an intact home to go to (with power, TV and air conditioning) and yet so many of my students, friends, and co-workers don't.  My faith gets somewhat shaken by people who say something about being blessed it didn't get their home or school or that their being spared was by the "grace of God".  Those thoughts sicken me because it implies, intentionally or not, that God withheld his blessings and/or grace from others.  I know tragedies, especially weather related ones, impact people of all walks of life without regarding to race, ethnicity, citizenship, faith, creed, gender, sexual orientation, physical abilities, education level, socio-economic level, etc.  But I still am troubled with why was I able to escape such because I'd gladly have endured this to help even one of my students escape this suffering.

It is in this sense of being overwhelmed by everything surround the tornado that I have been thankful for the opportunities to escape the focus of the tragedy.

•  I was invited to a graduation party for one of my seniors (Sarah); while already planning to attend there was no way I was going to let the tornado's aftermath keep me from the party...I needed cake!
• Saturday's activities surrounded Southmoore's 5th annual Graduation and I was so thankful for an awesome celebration to help destract our community, even for just a brief moment, from the devastation 10 miles further south.  Congratulations SaberCat Class of 2013
• Saturday night allowed me the chance to attend another graduation party for another student (Hunter).  The interaction with his family and friends was just a great way to focus on life's blessings.  The food was awesome and...more cake too!
• Sunday evening, my good friend and colleague from another school district (Christine) hosted a dinner at her house.  It was so great to be able to join in a relaxed evening and just enjoy the friendship.
• Monday late afternoon and evening I joined my friend Donna for a movie (Star Trek...go see it!!) and then a special dinner as a fundraiser/benefit the Oklahoma Red Cross's relief efforts.  I have since learned that through their efforts at a "pop-up" restaurant in Myriad Gardens, the culinary artists who lent their talents to OK Chefs Relief raised over $75,000 on Sunday and Monday.
• Tuesday for lunch I joined Anita (the PTA/Band mom, awesome substitute teacher, and new friend) and her children for lunch.  While it was meant as a way to help encourage her family, it was also a great way for me to get to know Timothy, her son, who will be in my class next year.  He better watch out because I have some "dirt" on him now, LOL.

Each of these moments have helped provide the emotional and stress relief I've needed so that I can hope to be the best possible support for those I love who are in need.  I know many of my friends and family members are concerned about me and their simply words in person, in e-mail, in text, on Facebook, etc. mean so much.  If nothing else, the lessons surrounding this tragedy are that we need to make sure we communicate to those we love that we do care about them and also to allow others to share that love with us.

While I know it will separate me from the immediate situation here in central Oklahoma, I am strongly looking forward to my upcoming travels...even those that are work related like scoring the essays which high school students from throughout the USA/World wrote for the AP United States History exam.  Summer is a time to recharge in between school years and I know that I need to do as much of that as I can...because with the impact of the tornado I'll need to still be equipped to be a strong support system to my new students next year because they will still be dealing with the effects and changes on their lives.  It's time to let summer begin...

Junior Escorts lined up & ready for graduation

Seniors, Change Your Tassels!

Myriad Gardens before dinner

Chicken Fried Scallops

Tiki Spare Ribs

Desmond Mason's heart made of tornado debris

Tornado: Part Six

Thus far I have had an opportunity to go in to the interior of the devastated areas so as to help clean the rubble of two family's homes.  One of the families, Brad and Tiffany and their children, includes one of our teachers at Southmoore.  The other family, Donna and Sarah, includes one of my students and her mother who has become a good friend.  While I had heard stories about the damage at these two homes, it truly broke my heart to see the devastation.

In both cases, the families had been told that they needed to get the rubble as close to the curb as possible; this included each and every brick fragment.  At Brad and Tiffiany's home in Moore it was their understanding that everything but the slab had to be cleared out.  At Donna and Sarah's home in south Oklahoma City they were told that anything outside of the remaining structure had to be cleared out.  I'm not sure if the difference in the two cases was because of differing city government policies or the overall nature of the damage.  While still classified as a total loss due to holes in walls & the roof, the separation of the roof from the house, the rotation of the house on the foundation, and then the complications of continued rain and water damage throughout the house, the house in Oklahoma City only had to have the external debris removed.  The house in Moore had no roof and the only walls still "standing" was a corner of the kitchen, the bathroom and "parts" of two bedrooms.

The one major common bond in each of these situations was the large number of people who had come out to help clean the rubble.  Due to other commitments, I wasn't able to help out much more than hour at Brad and Tiffany's.  But to be honest, the mammoth number of people who showed up to help remove the debris and remaining house structure was so large that I actually felt in the way at times (this is a good thing...the overwhelming volunteer spirit of Oklahomans and our fellow Americans).  Additionally, the spirit of fellowship that emerges when people work side-by-side in a common goal is simply amazing.  I throughoughly loved the human chain we made at Donna and Sarah's house to help move the chunks of debris from the sides of the house out to the curb.  Each chunk passing through the hands of each of us heading off to a pile which the city would later collect.

In truth, I'm not sure how much physical help I was in either case.  But these are two families that I love and respect and I'm honored that they let me provide whatever simplistic service I could.

Brad & Tiffany's kitchen

Brad & Tiffany's backyard & neighborhood

OSU & USA flags: Brad & Tiffany's symbols of perseverance & hope 

All of the volunteers at Brad & Tiffany's house

Donna & Sarah's garage
(you can see the storm shelter opening in the garage floor...
but Donna was at Briarwood & Sarah was at Southmoore)

Donna & Sarah's patio

New skylight in Donna & Sarah's house

Collapsed wall, garage, second floor damage at Donna & Sarah's house

Tornado: Part Five

As I pulled into the driveway at Southmoore on Friday morning something colorful caught my attention.  I saw a large amount of yellow shirts on the side of our building...with rakes, shovels, trash bags, etc.  They were helping to clean our grounds of the debris from the peripheral winds of the tornado.  I did make my way out to where they were working so as to learn who this group was.  Interestingly enough I noticed that it wasn't just yellow shirts, but there were also many people wearing purple...there were actually TWO volunteer groups.  The purple clad blessings were part of a national disaster recovery team called DRAW: Disaster Relief at Work; this specific group was a based out of a Michigan community near Detroit.  The yellow clad blessings were part of a national disaster relief team affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints; these "Mormon Helping Hands" include LDS missionaries from all over the U.S. and they were joined today by one of Southmoore's own wonderful LDS families...the Beans!!  Both groups worked long and hard to help beautify our grounds!

DRAW: Disaster Relief at Work (Team Purple)

Mormon Helping Hands (Team Yellow)

Mormon Helping Hands (Team Yellow)

The Bean Family working with Mormon Helping Hands
(Justin, Shawn, Gordon, Shauna, Erin, & Jourdon)

Friday morning was filled with a bunch of "end of year" procedures and clean-up which are part of our usual duties as teachers.  However, no computer network, internet, e-mail, or grade-book access complicated much of this [smile].  I did get as much packed and cleaned up as possible, which included boxing up LOTS of textbooks as this is the end of the adoption cycle for Social Studies textbooks.

The remainder of the day involved some relief/outreach projects which actually began getting planned on Tuesday.  While I was at Norman High School on Tuesday (see Tornado: Part Two) I began receiving some text messages from a friend and colleague with Union Public Schools (Tulsa area).  Philippa Kelly and I have gotten to know each other over the past several years as teachers of AP Human Geography and this relationship has grown since I began my involvement with Student Council.  Philippa is currently the director/coordinator of all student activities at Union High School.  She was contacting me so serve as a local coordinator for delivery of a host of items being donated as part of a relief drive in Union P.S.  We texted and called each other over the next few days and Friday afternoon was the time we scheduled for delivery.

I met up with Philippa and Eli Huff, one of her colleagues from Union, before their arrival to First Baptist Church in Moore.  Due to the interstate route they were planning, along with FBC already being a primary donation drop-off point, we had decided to make the drop here.  As we pulled in to the unloading area we were informed that they did not need anymore bottled water as their supply was already too large so we verbally mentioned that we would take it on down to Southmoore.  As they heard us talking about going to another relief center they asked if we could take more water and some clothing and stuffed animals with us.  Philippa and Eli agreed.  So after unloading many other supplies, including personal hygiene products, baby diapers, and baby formula we took on our agreed upon load.

We then began the navigation process toward Southmoore.  Due to repair to electric lines and other utilities, some of the main roads which had become open following the clearing of major debris were now re-closed. So the route was a major weaving around.  Somehow we ended up driving west 4th Street between Sunnylane and Eastern Avenue and then south on Eastern Avenue toward 19th Street...the heart of much of the devastation which occurred east of I-35.  While not the best route for trying to get to Southmoore rapidly it ended up being an important visual image to all three of us on the importance of the relief work that Union P.S. (and so many other schools and organizations around) were doing.

Union Public Schools' Eli Huff & Philippa Kelly

In a mad dash of unloading items into Southmoore, the representatives from the Moore Council PTA who were overseeing the SHS based relief center were just amazing by the efforts of Union's power team to not only bring items for relief, but to also help shuffle items from one relief center to another.  Members of those yellow clad "Mormon Helping Hands" also helped to unload the supply van.  Philippa and Eli had to leave all too soon so as to get the borrowed van back to Tulsa on time.

I continue to be so blessed by ALL of the various groups who are actively providing their love and support.  I've received so many messages contacting me: from Broken Arrow, OK, to Nevada, to Utah, and even to an agriculture education team at a school in Texas who were concerned about meeting the needs of the animals in Moore's ag. ed. program.  SIMPLY OVERWHELMED WITH BLESSING!!

Tornado: Part Four

Thursday was the first day we were allowed to get back into our schools.  The district had arranged for each school to have an "open house" from 10:00-12:00 so that students could return to get their personal items, return textbooks, and see their friends.  Special arrangements were worked out for the students, teachers, and staff from Briarwood and Plaza Towers elementary schools to meet at either Wayland Bonds or Eastlake elementaries.

Throughout the evening before and early Thursday morning I received a variety of questions through a couple of Facebook pages and tweet accounts I operate for school business regarding how to get to Southmoore with roads being closed.  The only way that anyone would be able to get to Southmoore would be to find some eastern or western route to get south of the school and then to travel north on Santa Fe.

Southmoore is a ALIVE and WELL

Teachers arrived at 9:00 for a local faculty meeting.  While most of us had seen each other at yesterday's district-wide faculty meeting, as well as during our school specific break-out meeting, it was still a significant time of encouragement for each other.  One of our staff members lost her son at Plaza Tower.  Seven of our teachers/staff members had their homes totally destroyed and/or significantly damaged and many others had close family members impacted.  We talked about issues with getting final grades posted, especially since the district's internet connections and phone lines were still down.  A link to use at home was provided on Wednesday but many were having issues with it; some troubleshooting ideas were shared.

Faculty meeting in Southmoore media center

Then we were dismissed to greet our students!! This time started out with me being in my classroom.  Anita, the PTSA & Band mom I discussed in "Tornado: Part Three", and her son Timothy stopped by.  I gave them each big hugs to reassure them that we were there to support them and love them.  A couple of other students stopped by in the early minutes of this "open house" time and then an announcement was made over the intercom system.  A study initiated and student led prayer circle was being held in our commons area and everyone was invited to attend.  As I was heading out of my classroom, one of my Buddhist students commented the guessed he would go to the prayer circle even though he wasn't a Christian.  I smiled and reminded him that God hears prayers from people of all faiths.  He smiled in return and you could tell this was more about embracing a sense of unity and community among the students so impacted by this horrible event than it was about promoting any form of religious dogma.

Due to the small number of students who had come by my room I was totally caught off guard by how many students had already begun circling around the commons for this prayer circle.  Teachers, staff, and parents began coming out of the hallways to join them.  Due to the size of the space and the vast quantity of people, the student who had been selected to lead the large public prayer opted to return to the office so as to speak over the intercom.  It truly was a moment about community spirit!

Since most of the students were now downstairs and in the commons, that is where I remained for the rest of the "open house" time.  I stood near a central table so that student had a centralized location for turning in textbooks even if they couldn't find their specific teacher. "Don't worry, we'll get it checked in for you".  Also, as I saw students from my specific classes I let them know that today I had a policy of "Everyone Gets a Hug", a it seemed like they all wanted one too.  You could tell that their spirits were so shaken by the events earlier in the week that this ability to see friends and teachers along with hugs and other expressions of encouragement were exactly what they needed.  And I have to admit that I needed it too.  Afterall, during the chaos of Monday I was only with one group of my students.  Today allowed me to visually see nearly all of my students so as to truly know that they were safe.

Kari, Marrisa, Lyndsey, Sarah, Mr. Burton, Hunter, & Michaela

Griffin, Daniel, Nhi, Sungwon, Bao, Mr. Burton, Peter,
Lynn, Monica, Sang, Bryan, Maddie, & Anco

An additional special moment which helped to give a sense of normalcy to being at Southmoore was when students from our band's drumline lined up on the landing of our grand staircase to perform several drum chants.  At various times throughout the year we have drumline in between Fifth and Sixth periods as a mini-pep rally before a big football or basketball game or to help encourage a team heading off to a state tournament.  Drumline today helped to show that WE ARE SOUTHMOORE and our spirit is not broken!

Drumline