The morning of March 2, 2012, was a busy one for the students in Mrs. Goodknight's class in Henryville, Indiana. There was morning meeting with poems to read, jokes to share, and tests to prepare for. "It was just an ordinary day," says student Lyric Darling, 12.
At noon, while students played basketball under a sunny sky, a huge tornado (龙卷风) was forming 50 miles away. Around 2:25 p.m. 20 minutes before school was supposed to let out, a huge tornado touched down in Fredericksburg, 20 miles away. As word spread, parents rushed to the school. Teachers rushed to get kids onto buses or into waiting cars. By 2:45, the skies were darkening.
"I was crying," says Lyric. "All around me, kids were crying." Two buses returned to the school with students whose parents had not been home. Teachers brought the kids to the office, where they all took cover under desks. Suddenly the power went out. And then the tornado attacked the school, filled with wood and trees and glass. The tornado was over the school for less than one minute. In that time, it almost completely destroyed the school. Teachers were about to lead the group out of the office when a second tornado was upon them. When it finally ended, the group made its way out of the building.
Over the next few hours, parents arrived, overjoyed to find their children. The next day, it was clear: All of Henryville's people were safe.
There were so many sad and frightening stories. Some students saw the tornado with their own eyes. Some lost their homes. But many described how the community (社区) came together to help and support each other. "You learn what's important," Mrs. Goodknight says.
