After Category 4 hurricane Harvey hit the Caribbean, Latin America, and southern US states on August 25, algebra and geometry teacher, Sarah Snyder, eagerly snatched up an opportunity to assist a Texas school in getting back on its feet.
Hurricane Harvey did not leave much to salvage after it left the Texas area. In some areas the winds did the most lasting damage, while in others it was the constant downpour. The storm ripped walls from homes and buildings, cars and boats were found miles from their owners, and loved ones were separated from family and friends.
Snyder, who gets involved in charities as much as she can, saw an ad on Facebook for teachers who wanted to help out in Texas. She was matched with a teacher named Kristel Sortelli at Ross Sterling High School in Baytown, Texas. Because of the damage Harvey caused, stores did not have school supplies, postponing school for two weeks. It was from the help of donors and facilitators, like Snyder, that the school was able to start up again.
“I did a week’s worth of collecting. I sent an email to parents and students and we shipped over 100 pounds of school supplies,” Snyder said. This hefty collection included 152 AAA batteries, 89 notebooks, 5 backpacks, and 510 pencils. The turnout was beyond what Snyder expected. Contributions came from all over the Northview community. Students who weren’t even at school the day Snyder announced the cause showed up at the end of the school day with bags full.
One of the donations was on the behalf of senior Chloe Steffes who has Snyder for College Algebra.
“The people affected by the hurricane essentially lost everything, and donating school supplies was a way I knew I could help,” Steffes said.
Ross Sterling High School received the package on September 29.