When Hurricane Katrina struck 20 years ago, it devastated New Orleans and transformed its schools, leaving behind the nation’s first all-charter district. For many who lived through that upheaval, the experience shaped their futures — inspiring some to become educators themselves.

Ahead of the storm’s anniversary, three survivors shared with The Associated Press how Katrina altered their lives and careers.

A displaced student finds inspiration in Texas
Chris Dier, now a history teacher in New Orleans, was starting his senior year in neighboring Chalmette when Katrina hit. Evacuated to Texas, he finished school there after months in a trailer offered by strangers. Teachers stepped up in his darkest moments — providing supplies, tutoring, and even soccer cleats. “They made me feel like I belonged, not just a statistic,” he recalled. Once determined never to follow his mother into teaching, Dier said Katrina changed his outlook. “I saw how teachers responded. That inspired me.”

An eighth grader longs for New Orleans’ ‘love and attention’
Jahquille Ross, now an educator and nonprofit leader, was in eighth grade when he evacuated. Shuttled through four schools in a year, he felt isolated and struggled academically. “The teachers didn’t go out of their way. I didn’t get the love and attention I was used to in New Orleans,” he said. Returning months later, he found strength in family and community. Inspired by supportive educators, Ross chose to teach, hoping to give young children — especially from Black communities — the same encouragement he once received.

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A teacher loses her school and memories
Michelle Garnett, who taught kindergarten for three decades, recalled the heartbreak of finding her school destroyed. Floodwaters ruined her classroom, along with irreplaceable keepsakes her parents had given her. “All was lost,” she said. Still, living with 23 family members in Baton Rouge, she found comfort in safety and togetherness. Garnett entered teaching out of necessity while caring for her ill daughter, but Katrina deepened her sense of purpose. “We think we choose a path, but God puts us where he wants us. Teaching is where I needed to be.”

Their stories reflect how Katrina’s devastation reshaped not just schools but lives — and how resilience, care, and community became lessons for a new generation of educators.

Source: Agency