Community Corner
How Katrina Built a Hero: Class Trip Dispatch 3
Meredith Stevens was one of 23 seniors chosen from Scarsdale High School to participate in this year's senior class trip to Mississippi. This is the third in her week-long series about the class's adventures, which took place last week.
Writing from New Orleans, LA
Monday, June 14
On the first day in Louisiana we only got a taste of how hot it would be for during the rest of the week. We first drove into New Orleans, and, although we wanted to stay and walk around the beautiful, historic city for much longer, we couldn't bear the heat.
Later, when we drove into the Lower Ninth Ward, a combination of the heat and seeing the destruction took a toll on all of us. The wrecked houses were a terrible sight – but somehow in the rubble there was still a strong energy flowing through the community, that of wanting to get their lives back.
Find out what's happening in Scarsdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
We met a man whose life was now dedicated to fighting for the people of the 9th Ward, Robert Green. He is a national hero now, but then he had lived in New Orleans his whole life, and called the Ninth Ward is his home.
When the storm hit, he and his family did not leave. They were one of the many families who were on their roof – while the house got carried for miles by the fast-moving currents. Robert lost his granddaughter and mother in the storm – and even though he had experienced so much pain, he went back to the Ninth Ward and wanted to rebuild his home and his life. He fought City Hall and won!
Find out what's happening in Scarsdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In a time when inertia had begun to rule the city, he pushed for the government to agree to allow he and a collection of other Ninth-Ward residents to rebuild. He has been on talk shows and news interviews all over the nation, drawing attention to the situation in New Orleans.
Robert Green was a deep inspiration. He said, "If I lived anywhere else I would be happy, but not as happy as I am right here," from inside his new home, right next to the plot of land where his old one stood.
He said he "counts the little blessings" every day, "not just the big ones." He was especially thankful to all the volunteers who came down to Louisiana and Mississippi, and he still has faith in the world and in humankind, and he knows the world will be a good place.
After hearing Mr. Green talk about what he had lost, and what he had gained back – we were all psyched to get to work.
Read Meredith's other dispatches, Not for One's Self and New Orleans 'No Grey NYC.'
