AUGUST 28, 2015
Hurricane Katrina:
Rebuilding and
Remembering
On the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, volunteers in New Orleans
will take part in a citywide day of service.
BY JUDY DICK
William Stoudt and his twin brother, Patrick, were 17 when Hurricane Katrina bore down on their
hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. The date was August 29, 2005. The powerful storm broke many
of the city’s levees, or flood barriers. It left most of the city’s streets and buildings flooded.
For four months after the storm, the Stoudt family lived in Texas. They had been evacuated (asked to
leave a dangerous area) from their home. When they returned to New Orleans, William and Patrick
started helping others whose homes had been destroyed. Within the year, their efforts grew into Youth
Rebuilding New Orleans (YRNO). This nonprofit organization has worked with hundreds of young
people who are committed to helping rebuild the city. “We didn’t want the fact that we were minors to
stop us,” William says.
Inspired by such organizations, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has called for a Citywide Day of
Service on August 29. It will be one of the many events taking place this weekend to mark the 10th
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
LOOKING BACK AT A TOUGH TIME
Hurricane Katrina battered the coasts of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. But nowhere
were more lives lost than in New Orleans, where fierce winds and heavy rain caused waters
to breach(break through) 53 of the city’s levees. Eighty percent of the city was flooded. More than
1,800 people died, and hundreds of thousands were left homeless.
In the wake of the disaster, relief poured in from across the country and around the world. Tens of
thousands of volunteers, from residents to those who came from far away, rolled up their sleeves and
began the difficult work of rebuilding New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities.
MOVING FORWARD
New Orleans has come a long way in the rebuilding process, but it’s an ongoing effort. Many of the
city’s businesses and homes have been rebuilt. The population is growing, but it’s still far below preKatrina levels.
To commemorate (honor and remember) Katrina’s impact on New Orleans residents, city officials will
lay wreaths at different spots around the city on Saturday. Candles will be lit and bells will be rung.
Residents will also celebrate the city’s comeback with concerts, art exhibits, and dance performances.
And, as part of the Citywide Day of Service, volunteers from YRNO and thousands of others will paint
houses, pick up trash, and work to help restore the New Orleans wetlands by planting marsh grass.
"I want to thank the . . . volunteers for all their efforts,” said Mayor Landrieu as he announced the
Citywide Day of Service. “I am very excited that . . . community members will come together to
demonstrate the spirit of service that has defined our recovery."
http://magazines.scholastic.com/news/2015/08/Hurricane-Katrina-Rebuilding-and-Remembering