Look for Word Nerd’s 8 Words IN BoLd

Making connections As you read the two stories on these pages, think about how hurricanes affected people in Rockaway and New Orleans, and how they responded.

UPCLose

10 s t o r y w o r k s

When her New York City community was badly damaged by the storm, one girl

decided to help rebuild hope

Paired texts: Narrative Nonfiction and Informational text

SurvivingHurricane sandy

BY LAUreN TArsHIs

Ariel Creamer, 14, has always loved living in Rockaway, New York. The community sits on an 11-mile peninsula, a sliver of land that juts into the sea. Rockaway is part of New York City. But some areas have the feel of a seaside resort. Ariel’s house is just half a block from

the beach. She can see the ocean from her house. She hears the waves as she drifts off to sleep. “It’s the ocean that makes this place so special,” she says.

But on October 29, 2012, the sea turned harsh. That night, Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the U.S. The storm was as large as the state of Texas. It hit hard. Dozens of people died.

Hurricane Sandy’s winds fueled a raging fire that destroyed 126 homes, like this one.

©Ti

m S

oTer

Pho

Togr

aPhy

(bac

kgro

und)

; Jem

al c

ounT

eSS/

redu

x (in

SeT)

w w w. s c h o l a s t i c . c o m / s t o r y w o r k s • s E P t E m B E r 2 0 1 3 11

SurvivingHurricane sandy

Ariel Creamer on her beloved beach

near her home in Rockaway, New York. The beach

is still recovering from damage from

Hurricane Sandy.

MeeT ArIeL IN oUr

greAT vIdeo oNLINe!

12 s t o r y w o r k s

Hundreds of communities suffered major damage.

Rockaway was hit especially hard. During the storm, the waters of the Atlantic surged over the beach, flooding neighborhoods. Thousands of homes were damaged. Some were destroyed. Just blocks from Ariel’s home, a sweeping fire broke out. More than 100 stores, restaurants, and houses burned to the ground. Last-Minute escape

Ariel’s family had planned to ride out the storm in their home. But just hours before the storm hit, her dad decided it wasn’t safe to stay. The family escaped just before the city’s bridges closed. They stayed with relatives in nearby Brooklyn.

The morning after the storm, they returned to Rockaway. Their neighborhood was in ruins. Roads were clogged with sand and wreckage. The playground where Ariel used to take her little sister and brother was now in the bay.

Ariel’s house had been hit

hard too. The basement was flooded. The heat, hot water, and power were knocked out for nearly three weeks. Ariel and her siblings went to stay with their aunt and cousins in Chicago while their parents cleaned up the house. Ten days later, the family was back together at home.

But Rockaway was a wreck. The tight-knit community was in shock. There was no power or running water. Many of Ariel’s friends had lost their homes and were living far away. Ariel’s school had been damaged. To get to its new location in Brooklyn, she had to commute an hour each way by bus.

In those first months, Ariel missed her old life—her friends, her walks on the beach, and her favorite restaurant, which had burned down. People were suffering all around her, especially the poor and elderly. As the

days got colder, people stood shivering in long lines for water and other supplies. A silver Lining

But Ariel felt inspired by the people who were working to help Rockaway heal. People came from around the country.

Damage to Rockaway was severe, and many buildings have not yet been fixed. Look at the map to the right. Why was Rockaway hit especially hard by rising waters and Sandy’s winds?

0 5 MI

StatenIsland

Brooklyn

ROCKAWAYPENINSULA

Queens

Bronx

ATLANTICOCEAN

Manhattan

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

NEW YORK CITY

©Ti

m S

oTer

Pho

Togr

aPhy

(lef

T); m

onik

a gr

aff/

uPi/l

ando

v (r

ighT

). m

aP: J

im m

cmah

on/m

aPm

an™

They brought clothes and toys. Neighbors helped each other rebuild. Teens climbed dozens of flights of stairs, bringing supplies to elderly people in high-rise buildings with no working elevators. “My mom told me you can’t control what happens to you,” Ariel says. “But you can always choose how you want to deal with it.” Ariel chose to help.

In February, she made a Facebook page called Survivors Silver Lining. It matches survivors in need with donors who want to help. Ariel posted information about a 9-year-old boy named Patrick who’d lost his Lego collection when his house burned down. Within days, the Legos had been replaced.

The page helped many kids. One boy got a new Nook. Two brothers got a new drum set and keyboard. Ariel has also worked with other groups to bring much-needed donations to Rockaway. Her hard work has been noticed. In April, she went to the White

After Hurricane katrina: New Orleans Bounces Back

Hurricane Katrina hit the U. S. Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. It was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. More than 1,800 people died. The storm caused major damage in Louisiana and Mississippi. The city of New Orleans suffered the most catastrophic damage.

New Orleans is a vibrant city. It’s known for its music, its food, and its scenery. It’s also prone to flooding.

The city sits near the Gulf of Mexico. Rivers and canals run through it. Long ago, levees were built in the city. These huge walls were meant to protect the city from floods. Experts always said the walls were not strong enough. They said the walls would not survive a major hurricane. Sadly, Katrina proved them right. Many levees failed during the storm. Four-fifths of the city flooded. After the storm, many said the city would never be the same. There was too much damage, they said. Hundreds of thousands of people left. Many did not return.

But today, much of the city has rebounded. Homes have been rebuilt. There are still problems, like crime and poverty. Some areas are still scarred. But many people say the city is as vibrant as ever.

To quote a famous blues song, “Ain’t no city like New Orleans!”

w w w. s c h o l a s t i c . c o m / s t o r y w o r k s • s E P t E m B E r 2 0 1 3 13

House, in Washington, D.C. There, she was honored as a Hurricane Sandy Champion of Change.

Today, you can still see the damage in Rockaway. But hope is in the salty sea air. The streets are clean. Homes are being rebuilt.

“I can’t imagine living anywhere but Rockaway,” Ariel says. “My neighborhood will be back, even stronger than before.”

INfOrmatIONal text

In some areas of New Orleans, floodwaters were 15 feet deep.

mar

ko g

eorg

iev/

conT

ribu

Tor/

geTT

y im

ageS

Rockaway and New Orleans were each devastated by a hurricane. What do you think Ariel and other residents of Rockaway could learn from the people of New Orleans? Use specific details from both articles in your answer.

WHAT’s THe CoNNeCTIoN?fINd AN ACTIvITY

sHeeT oNLINe!