Gesture by Florence High is moving

There have been so many stories that have been pouring in about people who are helping out in different ways in Phil Campbell, East Franklin and Hackleburg.

Each story has warmed my heart as I’ve heard about church groups, rescue workers, law enforcement officers and regular community volunteers all pitching in to help people who have lost everything.

But the one story that has really stuck with me was the story about how area students are showing their support for the schools destroyed in the tornado.

I pointed out in the regular story that many people overlook teenagers in a time like this and dismiss them as a group of people who will either not care or will be in the way, but the teenagers all over the area have truly stepped up to the plate to help their peers.

In particular, Florence High School’s chorus putting on a special presentation of their spring show for the students of Phil Campbell High School, really choked me up.

Florence High School’s assistant principal, Lynne Hice, said it was one of the most touching moments she had ever experienced, and I can only imagine that kids who were basically strangers all coming together and singing in unison in the midst of one of the worst disasters to strike the area was something that would have had me in a fit of tears along with the rest of them.

I’ve only heard the song “We are the World” a couple of times, but when I looked up the lyrics and read them, I got teary-eyed thinking about how much the singing of that song in particular must have meant to the kids at PCHS.

There has seemed to be a sense of unity and bonding floating in the air since the community came together after last Wednesday, but I imagine the sense of unity in the auditorium at Florence High School was almost tangible – something you could reach out and grab – when those students at FHS tried to ease the pain of their peers two counties away.

Moments like that make me just want to hug somebody. It makes me want to jump for joy to realize there are good people still out there in this world and that today’s youth have more on their minds than just themselves.

We could all learn a little something from this touching display of camaraderie and togetherness.