As most of you may know I am a teacher in the Scripps Ranch area, one of the areas hardest hit by the San Diego wild fires. So far the count is at least 100 students have lost their homes due to the fire in Scripps Ranch. For those who didn't loose their home they were evacuated and had no idea if their house was still there until late last week. Today was my first day back at work with the students and it has been hard. Students have been breaking down left and right, there is not a dry eye on campus. To top it off, the damn News people won't leave. We are trying to make the school a sanctuary and place of comfort for the students but we have News people trying to sneek on to campus to get an interview.
I've worked at a school were students have been killed due to gang violence, suicides, car accidents, but nothing compares to this. It's amazing the 100 plus students who have lost everything are in better shape than I would be in. The sadest part was when the students come up to me and ask, Mr. V do you think I could have some paper, pencils, pens, and a notebook, I fogot to grab my backpack on my way out of the house before it burnt down. Then other students came up and said please don't be mad at me but I left all my work for your class and every other class inside the house before it burnt down, am I going to get graded down for losing it.
I was struggling with what to tell the students but they are actually coming up to me and telling me their stories of escaping basically with what they had on their backs. Students who were at home alone with no car while mom and dad were gone had to flea on foot carrying their cats. I'm not done with my day yet I still have 2 more periods to go and I am affraid to hear how many more students lost their homes. Football players who lost uniforms, cheerleaders who lost theirs as well. It's been crazy today to say the least and I have one student who lost her boat in the fire and her parents wanted me to paint some letters on the back of it. My heart goes out to all those who have had to go through this ordeal and may something good come out of all this mess.