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Our Spirit Will Not Be Broken: Voices from the April StormsOur Spirit Will Not Be Broken: Voices from the April Storms

Center Point High School Student Writings

Storm hall
3/3/12

Woke up around three,
Loud noises thunder claps surrounding me,
A rap story of the aftermath,
Got the trees knocked down Rally’s falling apart,
Center Point looking bad
Something like the great depression back
Messed up something like a recession
The power all out
Streets all blocked
So we came together
Something like the justice league
The perfect team to get this place up an’ running like it used to be
A slogan at a time like this is “lean on me”

Jasmine Jones
1/31/12
1st period

Early Monday morning at 3 o’clock, it was a tornado but I didn’t hear it because I was in a deep sleep. I’m glad my mama came in and made me, my sister and my nephew up, but I’m thankful god let us see another day. The tornado could’ve hit us two times because last year in April it hit Fultondale and we stay close by it, now this year it almost hit us because Center Point and Tarrant. God have something plan for us because he sent his angels down to protect and watch over us and I’m very thankful for that. My little brother could’ve died because it hit his room (but my brother and I don’t live together.) I’m also glad he went in my daddy and my step mother room because if he went in there they would’ve never heard anything. Now my daddy have to stay in a hotel until they house get fixed.

Tiara Trammell
02-01-12
"Even 6"

Spinning my life around like a twister. It came through with winds louder than a quiet whisper. Experiencing death is not a beautiful picture. Here one minute and gone the next. I really just need some rest.

Mia Maynor
2/1/12
Block 2
 
During the tornado I was sleep, so I wasn’t able to experience what happened. But when I got up and heard all the bad news I was really sad, because all of those people lost everything. And not only in Alabama but all over and I am really blessed and fortunate because I still have my house my family and friend but most of all I still am alive.

Jonteria Lockhart
2/1/12
Odd 2
 
The way I feel about January 23. I was sleep, sleeping real good, hearing the hard winds. My mom and little sis came in my room telling me a tornado was over the house. I crawl out the bed half sleep with my pillow and covers to the hallway. With all my family I feel asleep. (I sleep the best when it storms.) Once I really wake up at 6:00 a.m. I have a phone full messages and phone calls saying, “Are you okay?”, “The house next to me messed up.”, “I’m out my house, how are you?”…I couldn’t watch the news; I didn’t see the mess till Tuesday.

Erica Coleman
3/27/12

I can’t believe it really came
Causing many people a lot of pain
The tornado of course
Ripping through the air
Wiping out homes and
Communities everywhere!
But don’t worry you can
Stop your crying because
Everything will soon be fine.

Corey Williams
Feb. 3, 2012
Block 2

Lightning strike, thunder roars
The wind blow my dreams around
Swallowed and covered was I
Awakened by a horrific cry
“Wake up, wake up” the woman of the night said
Slowly and confused I walked into her room
Upon the chair I rest my head
The man of knowledge proclaim
Eight minutes, Fultondale your dead
Six minutes later, the lights bled to black
We thought it was going to turn our home into a shack
But by the grace of god, we were covered
And the winds missed us and tore the rubber
This is how I made it through the storm
Without my family being harmed

Jesse Robinson

A tornado, a monster, a whirling cone of lethal winds, Center Point, a town, which I live in. It happened in the dark, like a ghost, swiftly flying by only noticed by the people who couldn’t sleep. It cheated us, in my mind, it could have came in daylight, for we were David, it was Goliath, and clearly goliath won this bout, Enormous like a whale, is out of proportion, for this tornado, would even ravish the ocean, It put buildings down, like the weather’s own wrecking ball; it tore the city apart, yet not the residents, at all.

Barry Jones
2-2-12
2nd Block
 
During the tornado, I felt a cry of despair. Many cities had to get repaired and we as people had to prepare to get to work. This tornado was tragic, it tore many cites and broke many hearts. It had many people wondering why did this happen and how could this be? That this tornado came and tore my home and everything that I thought I owned. I really didn’t get hit that day, but for the people that did, remember that Jesus will always make a way. This tornado happens for a reason, because Jesus is trying to get you to realize he is the reason for the season.

Alyssa Couey
01/31/2012
Period 01


It’s hard to believe that all the years I have lived in center point, all of a sudden the whole town is gone. I never would have thought that my friends and family would lose everything in their lives. When you are going down the street seeing tarps on all the houses, families crying, and businesses ruined, you can’t help but cry and want to help. And, to think that this is my town, my friends, my family, the only thing I know in Alabama. Center point is ruined, and the only thing we can do is clean it up and start all over again. I’m just hoping we get our lives back together and this never happens again.

Shaniyah Brown
1/31/12
 
During the tornado I was scared knowing it was close by my house. By the grace of god it didn’t hit my street. If I was to lose my house, I wouldn’t know what to do. While the tornado was going on, all I could think about was my family and friends, praying that they’ll be okay. On last year my cousins and auntie was hit by the tornado in Pratt. She stayed in some apartments upstairs, and all that was left was the hallway. I couldn’t image how they felt to have nowhere to stay or have no clothes to wear. In my closet I still had new clothes with tags on them, so I gave all them to my cousin. It felt good to give someone who had nothing, something.

Kyara Kitt
2/1/12
Block 2

Dark and silent
My pillow is like a cloud
To a wild awakening of a voice
I and my family ran
We waited, we prayed to god
We listened, and it was silent again
Hard to sleep, through what happened
When the sun had risen, daylight came about
We went outside; the damage was unbearable to see
Just the sight, the sight of seeing brought tears to my eyes
The broken homes, the torn hearts
2 people died, still that should’ve happened
The F-3 tornado did damage to people and their loved ones
I’m happy my family and I survived
I’m happy nobody really got hurt that bad

Destanie German
2/1/12
6th

I was asleep when it hit
Resting my eyes
Didn’t think it would kill and take so many lives
I just brushed off the fact that it could be deadly
Never injured my skin
So I just couldn’t see
When I woke to the dark
No power or lights
I felt bad for the ones who had seen this first sight
Then they’re running and screaming
And starting to plead
Some people are crying and starting to bleed
My house, my car, my stuff is gone
But still you live, your soul goes on
We help, we clean, we try to fix
But in the end, they will be missed.

Xavier Rush
2/1/12
6th

Tornado? What? I heard nothing of it. This monster spinning wild and destroying the public. This storm came through causing nothing but confusion. The government is useless they just make illusions. The cause is feeding off the trouble its producing. I’ve never seen so much damage to such a happy place. The wind came in and blew the smile off my face. Now the streets are filled with danger and drama that’s misplaced. All because of bad weather and government that’s two faced.

Nefertari Hatcher
1/31/12
1st Block

Disaster is dark
It is scary and harms
Center point has destroyed parks
I was scared wrapped on warm arms
The trees fell in front of the street
Where all the neighbors could meet
Afterwards we were safe
And still I have a safe place
Disaster!

Jazmine Fomby

It’s shocking when you wake up and suddenly everything is silent and stuck. Wake up with fear and tears, wondering why its 3am hard sound and you look outside and it’s all coming down. Jesus Christ said “One day it would all come to an end.” It’s like the devil has won again. I fall on my knees in a deep praying position; asking Christ please don’t let it end. Suddenly you start to feel families begging and pleading, all you think is I pray and hope it’s not mine. It’s the next day and you wake up, look outside and everything pushed away. Sadly they have to wake up and realize they’ve lost everything, but they say to themselves “I’m glad he gave me another day.” You start to realize that when the man of god say “ Late in the midnight hour God’s going to turn around.” He’s right and won’t ever let you down.