By LAELA ZAIDI
In
the hours before the May 22nd tornado, I remember the afternoon
being filled with laughter. The beautiful day was a reminder to my friends and
I that summer was around the corner, just two weeks away. I anticipated it not
only because of the freedom, but it was the summer after my first year in high
school. My plans were to spend it with old friends and new and to play tennis
for my upcoming fall season. It seemed as if nothing could bring me down; I was
content with life.
Of
course, nothing could prepare me for what would happen hours later. The
beautiful afternoon turned ugly as a massive EF-5 tornado tore the town apart
and destroyed countless homes and businesses- including my home, three of my
families homes, my dad’s office and the hospital which he worked at. My high
school, which I also lived across the street from, was torn to pieces. A few
days after the tornado, I climbed to the top of what was left of my home.
Standing on a grey slab (what used to be my room) I looked over the damage.
There was nothing in sight except endless debris, chewed up homes, and, in the
distance, the shell of St. Johns. A realization came upon me; the unchanged
life I had known for fifteen years in this town would never be the same.
With
nowhere left to go, twenty members of my family to look after, and the
possibility of more tornados, my parents decided to move everyone to the MSSU
Red Cross Shelter for a week. My sister, who lives in Chicago, came down and
stayed with me at a friend’s. However, this situation couldn’t last forever. A
quick decision was made that we would move to Monett, Missouri. This small
town, just under an hour outside of Joplin, is where my mom commutes to work
three times a week. With my dad out of work in town, it seemed like the only
choice. My aunt and her three kids followed us there.
Despite
what had happened in Joplin on May 22nd, it never crossed my mind to
actually leave. My house may have been gone, but this town has been my home for
fifteen years. Once moving what little we had to Monett, this dawned on my
parents as well. My dad signed up with Mercy St. John’s and we found a new
house in Joplin. By August, we moved back in town. Nothing felt better than
being reunited with my friends, seeing familiar faces, and being home. Of
course, our new house still didn’t feel right, but at least I was back in a
familiar place. The uncertainty of living in Monett made me feel homeless,
lonely, and depressed. Despite the genuine sympathy from those I met there,
nobody could relate or understand the emotional rollercoaster of losing your
home, high school, and neighborhood in a natural disaster. After a summer spent
in misery, I felt so much joy to be back where I should be. The support of
friends, family, and familiarity of the town helped in getting back to some
sense of normalcy, and it has been encouraging to watch businesses and homes
spring up from the rubble.
One
aspect of life forever changed, one both individually affecting citizens of
Joplin and collectively, is school. For two thousand students, the loss of our
only public high school has changed the way most of us think of school spirit
forever. The first home football game clearly proved this. Luckily, our
off-campus football stadium was spared in the tornado’s path. The filled stands
were vibrant in our school colors and nothing could bring the energy of the
crowds down.
Because of the
loss of our building, the high school was split into two campuses. One for 9/10th
graders, at a building recently used as a middle school, and a modern, newly
built campus in our mall for 11/12th graders. While both are “Joplin
High School”, everyone can agree the high school experience in Joplin is
definitely far from normal. In order to make up for the hundreds of textbooks
lost, JHS as adopted “21st-Century Learning.” Every student has his
or her own MacBook laptop, and most work is done electronically. Classroom
projects are done through video editing, presentations, and various other
technology outlets. To most people, this seems like a unique way to learn. In
reality, the ability to focus on work and be productive has become near
impossible. The quality of education hasn’t increased, and there is nothing
healthy about spending seven hours a day on a computer screen. Being a lover of
books, paper, and pens myself may leave me biased, but many students feel just
as frustrated at times as I do.
Like
any change, especially dramatic ones this year has seen, time and patience are
needed for them to be broken in. The new learning strategy Joplin Schools has
adopted has much room for improvement, and without older kids to look up to in
the hallways (in a place where many of them recently went to middle school) the
chance for freshmen to grow up and mature proves much more difficult. Despite
all this, the chance to continue our education, on time, has been the greatest
blessing. High school life is far from normal, but knowing our teachers and
administrators are doing everything they can to make it the best it can be is
the greatest comfort.
While
the May 22nd tornado robbed me of a summer and “normal” high school
year, it also gave a once in a lifetime opportunity. During the summer, Tom
Fey, director of tennis at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells ,
California, came down and saw the damage of the storm. After keeping close contact
with the JHS Tennis Team’s head coach, Sean McWilliams, he made it possible for
three boys and girls to attend and be ball kids at the BNP Paribas Open- the
fifth largest professional tennis tournament in the world. The top 100 players
from various countries are required to participate, giving us a chance to watch
world-class tennis, and even be on court with top players- such as Andy Murray,
Juan Martin Del Potro, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, and more. What made
the trip special was the fact all expenses were paid by donations and efforts
of Tom Fey, Indian Wells Tennis Garden community, and the BNP Paribas Bank.
Even celebrities are reaching out to our school. David Cook, American Idol
winner and Missouri native, performed at our football homecoming (also giving
me a chance to rush the stage and high five him!), and pop star Katy Perry is
donating money, decorations, and dresses for the JHS Senior Prom. Opportunities
such as these are reminders that the world still cares about what happened here
on May 22nd, even months after the disaster.
Throughout
the year, the skeleton of JHS stood as a reminder of comforting memories; My
history teacher’s closet where his students hung out and did homework, the
classrooms, the teachers I said hello to everyday (some whom I don’t see
anymore) are all things I still miss. Often, I revisit those places in my mind.
One last time I walk the hallways, sit in the classrooms, and say my goodbyes.
I venture across the street and one lay in the backyard of my beautiful
three-story home. Sometimes I even drive past those places and vision those
buildings still standing as they once did. Years from now, the old Joplin High
School and the red brick, green mansard roof home of mine will be forgotten.
But hopefully, there will be something bigger and better in their place. The
land where my house once was will be a part of something that provides young
adults an education and opportunities for generations to come. While these
places leave me finding myself heartbroken today, one day I hope to look at
them with pride in what my community has rebuilt in their place. Until then,
the story of what took place on May 22nd will be told as one of
resilience, human spirit, and what it truly means to not have a house, but
rather a home shared with an entire community.
Very well written. Thanks for posting this, Randy.
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