NEWNAN, Ga. — A twister ripped apart more than a dozen buildings at a Newnan high school last year. But the last year has signaled a rebirth and a stronger sense of community after the storm.
"It is something you will never forget. It’s devastating to the community, to our students, but at the same time, it’s almost like a rebirth.” Newnan High School student Allison Rogers said.
Attending Newnan High School has run through Rogers’ family for generations. On march 25, 2021, an E-F-4 tornado ran through this pillar of her community.
"It was one of those heart-wrenching moments that you realized we’d never be the same, just praying everyone was okay.” Newnan High School principal Chase Puckett said.
Puckett remembers the phone calls that woke him up early that morning. Moments later, he witnessed the destruction: trees uprooted, chunks of brick and metal littering the landscape. All 13 buildings at the school sustained extensive damage.
"You drive around, it still takes me back to a place i don’t like to go to. I’ll never forget standing right here that morning. But look at how far we’ve come.” Coweta County Schools Superintendent Evan Hortan said.
Newnan High School has since returned to in-person learning, holding 65 different classes in nine mobile units on two different campuses. Horton says the district is helping to fund an 80-million dollar rebuild, which could take two years.
In the immediate aftermath of the tornado, Newnan High school and the surrounding community got to work, making repairs on drake stadium so that graduating seniors could walk – upholding a longstanding tradition.
"Kids want normal. They want what they’re used to. They want those things, and it’s good we’ve been able to provide them with that.” Teacher Brandavious Mann said.
It’s teachers like Mann and Allison Rogers who keep Newnan High School trudging through tragedy. Keeping tradition alive – even when a tornado threatened to take everything away.
"Newnan strong is a perfect example of what newnan is: the people.” Rogers said.
Crews will demolish the old high school buildings this summer. But they’ll save keepsake items to create a remembrance wall at the new Newnan High School.
Coweta County is still working with FEMA to try and secure federal funding for the largest construction project in the school district’s history.