Classes Cancelled For Second Day At Flooded High School

Juniors and seniors at Owasso High School will get another day off from school on Tuesday. The high school is still drying out from weekend flooding, so classes have been called off for a second day.

Monday, September 10th 2007, 4:10 pm

By: News On 6

Juniors and seniors at Owasso High School will get another day off from school on Tuesday. The high school is still drying out from weekend flooding, so classes have been called off for a second day. Late Friday night a major storm drain collapsed, causing water to go into the school building. The News On 6â€™s Steve Berg reports the damage would have been worse if students hadn't come to the rescue.

It was sheer luck that anyone was even at school after midnight. Kendal Turpen and Wesley Clawson were part of the Student Council's overnight lock-in when Wesley saw water coming into the building.

"So it started flooding, and I was like, oh that's weird, and then some custodial lady just ran out of nowhere and said I've got to get to the band room," Owasso student Wesley Clawson said.

As a band member, Wesley took off to go help. Plant Manager Danny Henrie says it was a major flood.

"So right here where I'm standing it was about knee high in depth, and as you can see, if it's knee high here, we're going to have at least three to four inches in our front door," Plant Manager Danny Henrie said.

Kendal says the 90 or so students involved in the lock-in sprang into action.

"Everyone pitched in, and if it was on the floor and it looked like it could be ruined by being on the floor, it was up and on tables immediately," student Kendal Turpen said.

Items left on the floor were also put up on tables in the office of an amazed, very proud principal, Sam Herriman.

"They went from room to room, getting things up off the floor that would be damaged by water,â€ Owasso principal Sam Herriman said. â€œThey got paper off the floor, books off the floor, computers off the floor and basically saved us untold thousands of dollars, y'know hustling all night long for about three or four hours."

The student council lock-in is meant to be a bonding experience. They got all that and then some with the flood.

"Being able to do that and being able to get in there and help was really the best bonding experience I think we could ask for," said Turpen.

"It just makes you feel good about your students," Herriman said.

Tuesday classes have been canceled for 11th and 12th grade students, students in all other grades need to show up for school. Classes will resume on Wednesday.

Watch the video: High School Closes For Second Day For Flooding

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9/9/2007 Flooding Leads To Cancellation Of Classes