Spring Break . it’s that week during the semester that every student looks forward to. After several weeks of studying, writing papers, and making speeches, who isn’t ready for a week of relaxation on some beach or a ski-trip to Colorado? Tim Jenkins, freshman at ETSU, was no different. He had plans to spend half of Spring Break hanging out with his friend at Auburn, and the other half soaking up rays on Panama City Beach.
The day before Tim was planning to leave, his Aunt told him about a tornado that struck his home town of Enterprise, Alabama. “I would have felt terrible if I went to Panama”, he said. So while other students, including myself, were building sand castles, Jenkins went to Enterprise. “I felt bad for not being there, so I tried to get there as quickly as possible,” he said as he recounted his experience.
Tim graduated from Enterprise High School last year, so this natural disaster literally “hit home” for him. The initial news reports stated that there were no deaths caused by the tornado, but Tim soon learned otherwise as he got on the phone with friends who still attend Enterprise High School. In the end there were 8 deaths total at the high school alone.
Most of these deaths occurred in a hallway where the ceiling caved in while students crouched on the floor below seeking refuge. Jenkins was in band for two years with one of the students who was killed, but did not know the others personally. Schools in the surrounding areas closed early due to the tornado, but Enterprise High School remained opened because the tornado was not originally heading in its direction.
When the tornado did in fact begin closing in on the high school, they began the process of sending kids home. This process, however, was cut short due to the close proximity of the tornado. Students were rushed back inside the high school; unfortunately, some of these students would never walk out. It only took approximately 45 seconds for the tornado to rip through the school.
The goal post from the football field was later found 30 miles away in another town, demonstrating the tremendous power of this tornado. Many students suffered injuries due to flying debris and collapsing walls.
President George Bush made a visit to Alabama and stopped by the high school to look at the damage and speak to the students. Jenkins said it was depressing to look at the damage done not only to the buildings, but also to the lives of the people in his home town. The work he did involved tearing down damaged walls and roofs, cutting trees, salvaging whatever he could from homes, and distributing food and water.
He would meet up with the National Guard where volunteers would be placed into different groups and sent out to various areas affected by the tornado. He said “there were a lot of people there volunteering.”
Many church groups could be found administering relief to the area as well as single individuals, like Tim, who were simply concerned about the condition of Alabama. “You don’t really think about it until you’re there and you see it,” he said.
Jenkins may have felt slightly helpless as swarms of soldiers and trained relief workers rushed about the town; but the work he did, as well as other volunteers, was, no doubt, a very important part of the clean-up and recovery of Alabama.
Tim does not regret giving up his relaxing vacation to Panama City Beach because he knows that he made a difference.
When considering the large number of students at ETSU, how different could our world be if we all decided to spend spring break helping others? Even if there are no natural disasters that occur during spring break, there are other countless ways to volunteer and make a difference. Consider this next year when you’re packing your flip-flops and sunscreen.

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