MonticelloLive

Teacher Dana Ladner’s First Grade students line up to help unload the van  load of material and supplies recently donated to the Lizana Elementary  School by Drew Central Senior Erica Hood as part of her Senior Project.

Erica Hood (4th from right) and her mentor, Michelle Carter (3rd from right)  pose with Erica’s “students” and some of the supplies that were recently  donated to Lizana Elementary School.

What began as an activity to merely check off a graduation requirement in  her English class has led to a life-changing event for one Drew County  teenager.  Erica Hood, a senior at Drew Central High School, was looking for  an idea to complete her Senior Project when she decided to “adopt” a school  that had been affected by Hurricane Katrina.  Hood contacted the state  Departments of Education in Louisiana and Mississippi to locate a school  that might be helped.  The Mississippi Superintendent of Education responded  first and suggested that she get in touch with a school in Harrison County,  on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“When I was trying to decide on a topic for my project, I knew I wanted to  do something that would actually help others. The only disaster I knew about  was Katrina. I also knew I wanted to work with kids.” said Hood.  “When I  first started working on the project, my actual destination was going to be  New Orleans. I wrote my senior research paper on the psychological and emotional effects of tragedy on children. I based my research on experiences  children in the New Orleans area had during the hurricane. But when I  contacted the director of departments of education in both Louisiana and  Mississippi, the Mississippi director was the first to respond. He told me  to get in touch with Harrison County School District, in the very southeast  corner of Mississippi where the eye of the storm came through. I immediately  knew they would benefit from my project.”

After communicating with the principal of the elementary school in Lizana,  Mississippi, Hood and Lizana first-grade teacher Dana Ladner, created a list  of needed supplies.  Although reluctant at first to ask for assistance, Hood  found quickly how large the heart of her community actually is.  “I went  around town and showed businesses the supply lists. Donations began to pour  in. Within three days, I had raised over $2000.” Hood said.

Her first shopping spree the day before she was scheduled to meet with her  adopted class Hood cleared the shelves at the local Wal Mart store of all  the school supplies they had in stock.  That was not enough for her goal.  Accompanied by her mentor, Drew Central high School teacher Michelle Carter,  and Erica’s mother, Amanda Hood, the group stopped at every Office Depot and  Wal Mart between Monticello and the Mississippi coast buying supplies.  When  they arrived at the Lizana School they were greeted by a room full of  surprised and delighted first-graders.

As the children were helping to carry their supplies to their room, Erica  noticed the other children in the school staring in amazement at the huge  amount of material she was giving the students.  According to Hood, “The  other classes just stared at all the packages. When I asked Mrs. Ladner why,  she said that all attention had been focused on New Orleans, yet the eye of  the storm had actually been in Gulfport. The Lizana School is a rural  school, not on the coast; and these children were unaccustomed to being  given any help. They felt they had been forgotten.”

Hood learned that over half of her adopted students still live in FEMA  trailers, three years after the disaster.  Many families were still waiting  for insurance settlements.

“In school, I had learned about Katrina and had watched the news, so I  thought I knew the ins and outs of what had happened. When I got down there,  however, I was totally shocked. It was nothing like what I had imagined. It  was nothing like people had said. It was horrible, after all these years.  Seeing the devastation made me understand the whole aspect of the hurricane.  It had not been real to me until then, and it hit me hard.” said Hood.  “I  had no idea. I had assumed, like so many people, that all the hurricane  areas had been cleaned up and rebuilt, but that was certainly not the case.”

Shortly after her return to Monticello Miss Hood was notified by Lizana  Principal Debra Spiers that not only had her gift of materials and supplies  been sufficient for her adopted class, she had brought enough to supply the  entire first grade at the school.

Prior to completing her Senior Project Hood had planned to pursue a degree  in Business and Marketing.  As a result of her experience she now plans to  get a degree in Speech Pathology and Language and work with special needs  children.

When asked about her Senior Project experience Hood reported, “I personally  wish all the kids had to do a service-related project to help others,  because it made me feel so good inside. And I want others to feel that  happiness. It made me so happy to ‘give rather than to receive.’  Students  might get more out of the project in this way. I truly recommend Senior  Project as a requirement for graduation. Seniors I know in other school  districts are just required to write a standard research paper, and not even  a long one at that. Drew Central builds us up and prepares us for major  projects in our future lives.”

Senior Project is a requirement for all seniors at Drew Central High School.  Through the process, each senior participates by writing a 10-page research  paper on a subject he or she wishes to study; plans and executes a project  guided by an adult mentor of his/her choice; organizes a portfolio of  materials, forms, photographs, interviews, and other information to document  the project; and presents an 8-minute oral presentation to a community board the week preceding graduation.