Sometimes It Doesn't Take Much

After the Houston suburb of Katy, TX was inundated by Hurricane Harvey in late August, students and community members who were already battling floodwaters in their own neighborhoods, feared the worst for the buildings at Beck Junior High School, home of the “Bulldogs.”  A Twitter post (here) shared this photo and asked if someone would please check on the school.  Everyone feared the worst.  I took an instant liking to the school (for its name) and decided to follow-up later to see how the community fared.

When they could finally return to school, students showed up to banners that read #bulldogstrong and soon found themselves in the midst of a miracle of sorts.  An article in a local online magazine says:

“On the first day back to school, students arrived in every type of situation; some were early, some were late, some wore second hand clothes, and some had new clothes, but overall there was a sense of unity and camaraderie in their shared experiences; a defining moment that will bond the Bulldogs for years to come. The exact numbers of how many impacted students are at Beck Junior High is not yet known, but one thing is certain; Beck's students are coming back forever changed than when they last left the campus on August 24.”

But one thing that hadn’t changed was the building.  At least not in the way they had thought it would be.  You see, as Harvey’s floodwaters lapped at the walls and doors of the Beck Jr. High School complex, most of the facility was spared significant inundation. 

"Building inspectors credit a last minute 'lip' [shown above, from the article] that was added to a possibly vulnerable entrance for saving Beck from flooding. A lip is basically a rubber seal with a stop threshold where the door is then blocked from water. Beck Junior High contractor, Jason Gustanson, a building superintendent with Sterling Structures, had been through many hurricanes and was working on the addition to the campus. As a precaution, he added the lip when the warnings started coming in about Hurricane Harvey.  And that is said to be what saved Beck from what could've been disastrous flooding.”

The lesson for Katy is one of resilience.  Students and families in the area have all been impacted; and faculty and staff at the school—many victims of Harvey themselves—have also been part of the relief effort by cleaning, handing out supplies, etc.  But in the end, the joy of returning to a sense of normalcy is summed-up by the quote from Beck JHS teacher Cara Daniels, who said simply, “I am getting my kids back!”

Sometimes it doesn’t take much… to save a building or to make someone happy.