JANESVILLE — Students and staff at St. John Vianney (SJV) School in Janesville recently got a chance to hear stories of the recent storm damage in the southern U.S. and how their donations helped out other schoolchildren there.
Eleven students from Houston recently came to Janesville to run in the Midwest Invitational Cross Country Meet.
During that time, those students visited the school and shared with SJV students and staff firsthand what it was like in Houston during, and after, Hurricane Harvey.
Their presentation included pictures of the Houston area before and after the flooding.Affecting the students
It was a meaningful assembly hearing how Hurricane Harvey affected several of the students’ and coaches’ families and friends.
Some facts were shocking, such as the fact that the rain water level raised so fast that it would have gone over an average first grade student’s head in merely four hours.
They also told how schools have been forced to change their hours to accommodate adding students from schools that will be closed for the entire year due to the flooding.
These schools are now teaching two student bodies.
Emotional thanks
Another powerful part of the presentation was to see the Texas students’ emotions when they talked about the donations SJV sent to help them.
When showing pictures of the supplies sent from Janesville being unloaded at their school, they pointed out friends, teachers, and administrators they personally knew in those photos.
One of the students shared that his family lost their house and belongings.
He was pleased to be able to personally express his gratitude for the help that was sent from Wisconsin.
SJV students had many questions for the group and the answers gave them a clearer understanding of how important it is to help those in need.