Wed, Jul 09 2008
|
|
Published May 04, 2008 10:35 pm - GREENSBURG, Kan. — President Bush hailed the resilience of this town and its tiny high school graduating class Sunday, one year after a tornado barreled through with astonishing fury. Never before had Bush delivered a commencement address at a high school, and his presence was meant to reflect how far Greensburg has come. From nearly total devastation last May 4, this town is recovering, and hope has been rekindled. Bush hails recovery of Kansas town The Associated Press
GREENSBURG, Kan. — President Bush hailed the resilience of this town and its tiny high school graduating class Sunday, one year after a tornado barreled through with astonishing fury. Never before had Bush delivered a commencement address at a high school, and his presence was meant to reflect how far Greensburg has come. From nearly total devastation last May 4, this town is recovering, and hope has been rekindled. At the center of attention is the Class of 2008 — 10 boys and eight girls. They finished their senior year at a makeshift campus of trailers. “We celebrate the resurgence of a town that stood tall when its buildings and homes were laid low,” Bush said in his remarks at the temporary high school gym. “We celebrate the power of faith, the love of family and the bonds of friendship that guided you through the disaster,” Bush said. “And we celebrate the resilience of 18 seniors who grew closer together when the world around them blew apart.” Bush said the graduating class has sent a powerful message to the nation: “Greensburg, Kansas, is back and its best days are ahead.” The tornado that flattened Greensburg was the worst in the United States in years. It raged at 205 mph, spanned more than a mile and a half and killed 11 people. From the ruins, it was hard to tell what had stood before. Bush visited five days after the storm, when he walked through the gnarled mess and handed out hugs. An estimated 95 percent of the town was leveled. No more schools, city hall, fire department or power plant. More than 900 homes were destroyed. What was left looked eerie, with cars planted into crumpled structures and trees ripped of all their limbs. Bush told the students Sunday that they had learned a hard lesson of perseverance. He compared their resolve to that shown by victims of other disasters, including the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the string of hurricanes, floods and fires during his terms. “The lessons that you have learned in this town will give you the strength to rise above any obstacle in your path,” Bush said. “You have seen life at its most difficult. You have emerged stronger from it.” Bush personally handed a diploma to each graduate. The ceremony drew essentially the whole town, and then some, into a temporary warehouse-style structure. An estimated 900 people packed in, although the total appeared to easily top that, including alumni of the school and officials from around the state. 
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the State News section
Public health advocates outline immunization plan Jury being picked in videotaped sex killing case Missouri: Drunken boating standard drops to 0.08 percent |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Discuss this story
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
The Joplin Globe Publishing Company 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. |
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service 
|