Free Scars from the Tornado by Randy Turner

research papers and videos
from the project. The technology aspect of the project was also represented by
Stella Ndauwa's power point on Brown v. Board of
Education.
    East took
second place in the creativity category, thanks to Ms. Lara Stamper's first
semester drama class, with its horror movie "From the Pond." The
movie was initially shown to the student body at an assembly in the commons
area Nov. 4. Cassie Williams represented the cast of "From the Pond,"
at the show.

 

 
    FIGHTING
FOR THE BOND ISSUE
    East Middle
School eighth grader Jennifer Nguyen spoke to more than 100 area business and
community leaders and parents during a celebration breakfast at the Holiday Inn
shortly before Joplin School District voters went to the polls to decide the
fate of a bond issue which would provide the money to rebuild the schools
destroyed in the May 22, 2011, tornado, including East Middle School.
    In addition to
her presentation, those attending heard updates on rebuilding efforts from Dr.
C. J. Huff, superintendent; and Dr. Angie Besendorfer ,
assistant superintendent.
    The breakfast
concluded with words of support for the upcoming bond issue from Joplin Area
Chamber of Commerce President Rob O'Brian and Mayor Mike Woolsten.
    The text of
Jennifer Nguyen's speech is provided below:
    Hello, my name is Jennifer Nguyen. I am an eighth grader
from East Middle School, and today, I came to talk to you about why I think the
bond request should be passed. I remember coming to East Middle School for the
first time when I was in the sixth grade. I remember seeing the huge hallways
and thinking to myself that I would never make it out alive. After a few weeks,
though, the building became home, and I could easily navigate my way around. I
was one of the lucky people that got to go to the new school. East soon became
home to many others, as well: the students and staff. When the tornado came by
last year, no one expected to find East as it is now.
Nobody expected to find a pile of rubble in place of our beloved school.
    Luckily, we found a building to use as a temporary school.
As many of you know, we are now located on East 26th Street. Everybody is very
thankful to have a place to go to continue learning, but those that went to the
old East , miss it dearly. The warehouse provides a
place to learn, but it just isn’t the same as the old East.
    The building we are in now is much smaller and crowded, and
getting from class to class can be hard some days when you are trying to beat
the crowd. At the old East, we had a beautiful auditorium where we held all our
assemblies. Now, we are crowded into the cafeteria for any assemblies or pep
rallies, and we have no space in the current building for an auditorium. Instead
of a gym, we have a blown up, tent-like structure beside the warehouse. We are
restricted from having any home games at our school, whether the sport is
volleyball or basketball. Replacing our outside basketball court and field is a
parking lot. Now, whenever students go outside for some fresh air after lunch,
they are kept inside the boundaries of the parking lot, and even that is not
much space. After school, students waiting in the parent pick-up line have to
wait quite a while because of the slow progression in the small area of the
back parking lot.
    These are just a few of the many disadvantages that occur at
the warehouse. The largest disadvantage of all, though, is the lack of spirit
in our school. In the minds of many, the building we are in now is not truly East ; it is just a temporary building, a warehouse. And even
though East is now at a new location, to me and many others, the old East will always be home. The old East will be remembered as our true
middle school, not the warehouse. Hopefully, East will soon be returning home.
Thank you.
    Joplin
School District voters passed the bond issue and there will be a new East
Middle School in January 2014.

 

 
    NEW MEMBERS
INDUCTED INTO JUNIOR NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
    BY