Gymnasium in Breathitt County is filled with flood relief and school supplies to kick off a great school year

While the school itself didn't receive any damage, the homes of many of the students did.

BREATHITT COUNTY, Ky (WTVQ) – The start of the school year has been rough for many schools across Eastern Kentucky due to delays caused by historic flooding that destroyed homes and killed 37 people. Jeremy Hall, a guidance counselor at Highland-Turner Elementary School says the plan was to kick off classes on the 11th, but because of the devastation from the surrounding communities, this week was the first full week of school. While the school never received any damage,  several of student homes did.

“We had eight families that had a total loss and we’ve had 18 children drastically impacted by the flooding in out community,” says Hall.

For the last twenty years, the preschool through sixth grade has received donations in the form of school supplies and Christmas gifts from a church group from Tennessee called Mission of Hope.
Because disaster that impacted so many, the group came with a few surprises up their sleeve to ensure that the kids had what they needed for life outside the classroom, such as food, cleaning supplies and furniture.

“We had some parents asking for mattresses and bedding and bed frames and beds and dressers. One parent told me recently that she lost everything and her children’s clothes were still in garbage bags,” says Linda Oaks with the school resource center.

As for life in the classroom, the group made sure the students came to class prepared  and helped to take the burden off families.

“We didn’t ask any of our parents to bring any school supplies this year,” says Hall.

School supplies like notebooks, papers, glue, pencils, scissors, folders were given out to 165 students. A backpack was also given out to each of them.

“They were so excited. When they were coming in this morning I was wishing them a happy Friday and I said guys, Mission Hope is coming today and they would smile so big and their eyes would light up,” says Oaks.

With the help of Mission of Hope, the group of volunteers helped the school end their first week of school with a lesson or two in the books, which included helping others in need.