TULSA, Okla. — It's the first day of school for Tulsa Honor Academy. They're lucky to start on time since the administrative office and a middle school sustained severe damage after the June wind storm.
The founder tells 2 News that the Father's Day storm caused about $3 million in damage to the network office and Flores Middle School. Luckily, students weren't exposed to any of the damage on their first day.
Elsie Urueta Pollock remembers coming to her office the day after the storm, and water was up to her ankles.
"I just thought, okay, we have very little time before school starts," Pollock said.
She says the roof of the network office caved in, which caused the sprinkler system to collapse. It flooded 42,000 square feet of Flores Middle School, which is attached to the office.
- Previous coverage>>> Tulsa Honor Academy celebrates first graduating class
But people like Yuri Rodriguez - a senior - do not have time for storms either.
"I had some applications that I had due for summer programs. They were due that day, and we still didn't have power. I was going to McDonald's and Burger King trying to find wifi," Rodriguez said.
With persistence, Rodriguez submitted the apps, and Pollock could have school on its intended date. It was all thanks to cleanup efforts from the T.H.A. family, comprised of scholars, teachers, parents, and contractors.
2 News saw it firsthand from Wednesday's introductory course and senior college prep seminar.
As for the mess in the network office, Pollack says insurance should take care of most of the damage costs. However, they will still have about $400,000 to pay out of pocket. Donations are being accepted on their website.
"It's just another wrinkle," Pollock said. "It's another point in our story."
The network team is working out of the basement for now.
Besides the exterior, students like Rodriguez aren't exposed to the damage.
"We still had to get things done, and we overcame those barriers," Rodriguez said. "I feel like we can do much more if we do that because that was a very, difficult situation."
Between tackling a pandemic, moving multiple times, and now taking on a giant storm, Tulsa Honor Academy staff say they're ready and willing to take on any challenge.
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