The floods won't stop Herbert Hoover High School

As many people saw, southern parts of West Virginia were destroyed by horrendous flooding last month. If you missed the news, some communities received over eight feet of water. 

One of the small towns that received the worst of the flooding was a town called Clendenin. It was home to one of the oldest high schools in the state, Herbert Hoover. 

A focal point of a small community since 1963, Herbert Hoover received over $10 million worth of damage and was deemed unfixable. A new school will be rebuilt, but it will take 2-3 years of students attending school in portables for the new school to be ready. 

When I graduated from high school two years ago, I always envisioned going back to visit and reminiscing in the former building. I would walk through, look at the old classrooms and memories would fill my brain. 

I would remember the time I accidentally threw a book out of a window, and had to climb on the roof to retrieve the book. Then, I would proceed to track tar through the classroom upon my return. (I'm sorry, Mrs. Plutro). 

I'd remember having a thirty-minute free period during my senior year, and creating a game that combined the basic rules of hacky-sack and volleyball to entertain ourselves during those thirty minutes. Things got really competitive during those games, and "sackball" became popular among the class of 2014. 

I will never forget the memories I made in that building, and there are thousands of people that feel the same way. In a small town like ours, the high school is the center of the community.  

People rally around the athletic programs and the band, which was also one of the best marching bands in the area. One of my favorite memories from high school is the sound of the drumline marching towards the football field before the game. 

We were even lucky enough to be home to one of the best show choir programs in the state of West Virginia, which was often under-appreciated. 

Hoovers gymnasium floor

In the last ten years, the baseball program collected two state championships while the softball program won one state title as well, becoming one of the best baseball/softball duos in the state. 

The volleyball team became one of the most dominant teams in the state, becoming a regular at the state tournament. 

This past season, the football program won its first playoff game in over ten years. 

The wrestling team has always produced tough, hard-nosed wrestlers and sent multiple wrestlers to the state tournament every year. One of the most dominant teams in the region, the Husky wrestlers were always superior to other local programs. 

The basketball program has been one of the more consistent programs in the conference, and is usually in the top-half of the conference by the end of the season. 

On top of all of the athletic success, principal Mike Kelly turned Herbert Hoover into one of the best academic schools in the state. When he took over, Hoover's test scores were among the worst in the state. 

Now? They are consistently ranked in the top 25. 

The argument can be made that there has never been a better time to be a Husky. Between academics, athletics and the musical programs it is hard to identify a true weak spot for the school. 

This horrible tragedy should not change anything. The community has been through so much because of the floods. The amount of damage that was done can't be put into words. Hundreds of people lost everything they owned. But the progress that has been made at Herbert Hoover cannot be stopped. 

There has never been a better time to be a Husky, and that will not change. These students have been through a lot more than going to school into the portables. 

The minute you sleep on Herbert Hoover and expect them to use this as an excuse to fade, stop. If you think Herbert Hoover won't rebound because of the flooding, think again. 

People of the Elk River are some of the hardest working people anyone will ever meet, and that is a direct reflection of the success at Herbert Hoover. 

There has never been a better time to be a Husky, and that isn't going to change anytime soon.