The devastation from the weather the last few months has brought mankind to new heights of awareness about how helping our fellow man can bring healing to the heart. Hurricane Irma hit the Keys with a tumultuous force and left families, businesses and schools relying on humanity to help them through the devastation.

The yearbook class was made aware of one particular school hit hard, Marathon High School, in the Keys. The class decided to find out more about a campaign to help called #YBKstrong and received an email from the yearbook adviser at the high school.

The yearbook teacher from Marathon High School, Tracy McDonald, wrote “School is a mess.  We won’t have any home football games.  The field is pretty gross.  Lots of minor structural damage.  The nesting parrots are gone as well as our osprey.  We watched generations use the nest above our softball field.  Now there is no nest.  Good side is we can finally change the light bulb under where the nest was.  Mamma wouldn’t let us near it before. 

 My editor lost everything.  Her roof peeled off like a can of sardines.  She came up during a different class to hand me the ladder.  She saved it.  I almost cried, especially since we have to redo it as some of our sports will not be taking place.”

As a class, the yearbook staff decided to host a week long fundraiser to help Marathon High School. Several of the students jumped on board planning the campaign.

“I was really upset and shocked about the impact that the hurricane had”, said Chloe Barnes (’20). “Sometimes when we hear about things like that, we think about the destruction it had on buildings and homes, but forget how much people actually lose everything.”

One student, Kristen Vogt (’18), decided to spearhead the effort and take it under her wing. She  organized the collection and kept tabs on each classroom’s progress. A total of $578.62 was raised. Mrs. Gregory’s class raised a total of $126.08 and won a donut party for her 4th period class.

“When Swanson got the email about being paired up to help one of our sister schools in Florida, I really took it to heart. As a yearbook staffer, no matter the distance apart from each other, I feel that it is our job to work together and benefit each other. We may not be best of friends or in deep connections with them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help in a time of need. I’m glad that we were able to have this opportunity because I know that if we needed it, there would be a hand given to us,” said Vogt, Business Editor.

Once McDonald, the yearbook editor from Marathon High School, was contacted about how much was raised for her school, she responded with resounding thanks. “My editor lost her entire house.  My second in command came home to literally nothing as her trailer home was already bulldozed away.  She didn’t even get the chance to brave mold to salvage anything.  The school itself looks rather ugly and sad but I’m pretending it’s like fall everywhere and the brown is normal.  Thank you again for thinking of us.  We truly appreciate it.  The generosity of people we have never met before is overwhelmingly reassuring and wonderful, “ said McDonald.

While at times it can be hard to give and help out, the students of Holt High School have always met this with open arms and extended hands, and will continue on in the future.