TSAS Students Show Thanks For Support On Anniversary Of School Fire

A fire ball swallowed a Tulsa high school one year ago Thursday, but that devastating fire sparked an outpouring of support.

The students from the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences returned the favor by spreading out over Tulsa, working in schools, a year after their school burned.

It was an extra special day in the music class at Marshal Elementary. The students had three extra helpers from the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences.

They spent a few hours helping with classes and working with students to mark the anniversary of the fire.

"A lot of the Tulsa district gave back to us, and this is our way of giving back to them," said TSAS student Lestat Chandler.

9/5/2012 Related Story: Caught On Video: Fire, Explosion Destroy Tulsa School Of Arts And Sciences

Last year, the school lost everything in an early morning fire at the Barnard building. What was left was eventually torn down.

The next day, the school re-opened in a new building, the old Sequoyah Elementary, where they plan to stay.

"They basically rebuilt that into a new school for us. And we moved into Sequoyah the next day, and it was fully furnished and it was clean and they had mowed, all the day before. And it was amazing that TPS could do that for us, so we wanted to say thank you," said TSAS Director Eric Doss.

Doss said the students and faculty have rebounded from what they lost and now are focused on the future and giving back.

9/6/2012 Related Story: Displaced TSAS Students, Teachers Start Over In Elementary School Building

"We felt like it was a good day for us to do something positive and send the kids out and help out at some TPS schools, and hopefully show the kids that's how you repay a good deed, is with a good deed," Doss said.

"We've had up and down moments," Chandler said, "but the important thing is that we're family and we go through this together. We're the phoenix; we rise from the ashes."

While a few students were in the music class, other students were out at 10 other schools.

"We felt like it was really important to give back to the community that gave so much to us," Doss said.

The school district is still taking proposals for the Barnard property through September 19.

The district has the discretion to choose any plan, and a spokesman said they hope to find one that's compatible with the neighborhood around the old school.