I woke up in surprise as my phone buzzed over the nightstand informing me of a two- hour delay due to flooding. When I arrived at school, I could feel the anticipation and the excitement as the news bounced from person to person that we would be permitted and encouraged to leave school to assist the community in protecting local homes and business from the rising flood waters.

After arriving at the Manchester City Shop, teenagers streamed out of the bus and began sandbagging the moment we parked. Students jumped in wherever people looked tired, filling bags, shoveling sand, tying strings, piling sandbags into vehicles and stacking them against buildings. Some jobs took more physical effort than others, and without speaking we began rotating shifts.

Becoming a well-oiled machine, the students instinctively built an assembly line and relieved those who needed a break, working from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You could feel the kindness every time someone handed you a bottle of water or took your place in line. An unspoken community pride was passed around with each bag filled.    

Those who didn’t participate in sandbagging may believe they didn’t miss anything special; however, they missed an amazing chance to become closer with their peers and community. I’d like to thank Mr. Felderman, Mr. Morrison, Ms. Jack, and Dr. Rickey for providing this opportunity. Students and community members alike won’t forget the flood of 2016.