As we were informed of the disaster around the school building, the teachers would move toward a television to catch a glimpse of the destruction. Never did we dream that our school would be affected in the way that is was. This junior high is one of 900 students grades 7-9. The news brought forth great emotions from both students and teachers.

As the day moved on, it became apparent that some in our student body were missing parents, and other relatives. I felt helpless in the sense that I could not stop the pain for the students. As we discussed the event, students quickly expressed the disbelief and shock that the country felt about the bombing. Students expressed fear, shock, and hurt over the loss of lives.

One way for teachers to help was to not throttle the emotions that adolescents show in the face of fear and sorrow. Most of the teachers allowed students to discuss the events in class for several days following the tragedy. As we discussed the day, students were able to relate the feelings that were bothering them. I am very proud to allow the public a glimpse of some of those feelings by allowing the use of the essays by some of my students. The true feelings of our youth can be seen in their writings. I feel the hurt and sorrow for the citizens of Oklahoma City just as they do.

Ken Grantham
Kerr Junior High School
Del City, Oklahoma

On April 19, 1995 at 9:02 a.m. the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed.

I was in weight lifting class during our first hr. period when i heard about the tragedy. We were downstairs listening to KJ103 when an announcement came over the radio saying the federal building downtown had been bombed. At first I thought little of it, and then I realized that my grandpa worked down there at the post office. When I realized this I went to my teacher and I asked if I could be excused to go call my mom to see if she knew anything. When I got a hold of her I asked her if my grandpa worked down there. She said she thinks but she was not sure. I started crying hysterically. My mom told me to calm down and not to get worked up yet. I told her all right and hung up. After I hung up I went out into the hall and just broke down and cried even harder. About five minutes later my mom called back to the school and asked me if I wanted to go home! I told her yes. She told me my grandma would be there in a few minutes to pick me up. As I went to gather my things I saw kids in our school crying and shaking. Some of their family members worked down there also. They looked just as scared and worried as I was. The school had the T.V.'s on and the kids were going crazy worrying if there mother or father was dead or alive. When my grandma finally got to school to pick me up and take me to her house all I could do was set and stare at the T.V. My grandma's phone was ringing off the hook wondering if my grandpa was okay. I was sitting at the kitchen table doing my homework because my grandma went to go get something to eat. While I was sitting there thinking about if my grandpa was okay or not and about that time my grandpa comes through the door. You don't know the relief I felt standing there hugging and crying on him.

My grandma walked through the door about five minutes after my grandpa did. She started crying and hugging him.

After we finished crying my grandpa told us that he was across the street in his post office building. He said he was in the basement and all of a sudden he heard this sound like a freight train was going overhead. The next thing he knew the ceiling started to look like it was coming down, so he ran out of the building and as soon as he did the windows in the front busted in and all the secretaries got scraped up. He told us that it looked like a war zone down there.

No one will be able to forget what happened on that awful day, but I will remember it for ever and ever. The tragedy hit everyone right in the heart. I think it is wonderful how everyone is coming together like this. This just shows how much live and compassion everyone has for our state and the people in it. Its kinda sad how it took a tragedy like this to pull everyone closer together. No one believed how many people donated blood, volunteered their services downtown, and risked their lives to save others. The people who saved lives will be heroes in our hearts forever.

Angelina Simons
7th Grade

As I walked into second hour that day of April 19, 1995, the word had not gotten to me yet. Mr. Grantham, my American history teacher, had the TV tuned into one of the local television networks, to see exactly what had happened.

I did not know to what extent the building had been damaged. I was figuring that it would be like the World Trade Center, only a couple of fatalities and a few injuries. I had not imagined the annihilation of the building, nor did i consider how many people were in the Murrah Federal Building.

Only if someone would have known. Only if the person or persons involved would have had a better Christian upbringing. Maybe that would have stopped all of the chaos before it even started. Oklahomans are the ones who made all the rescue efforts possible. The thought of ordinary people helping others in disaster makes me watch in awe.

My prayers, and probably everyone else's are directed toward the children. Innocent, young, and carefree. Could you imagine taking your child, or children, in some cases, to day care and an hour later, without saying goodbye, they're gone?

I send my respects, along with prayers, to the victims, family, rescue workers, F.B.I., President Clinton, and everyone else who has tremendously helped with it all. I would also like to help them remember that God is with them.

Sarah Washburn
8th Grade

The Oklahoma City bombing was a tragedy for everyone. My personal experience with it hasn't been near as devastating as the victims. A friend of mine's mom was on the third floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The last time I talked to him about it was two or three days ago. As of then, she still hadn't been found. I've been really concerned about him, his mom, and all the other people involved. I was sitting in my second hour class when I heard about it. That was about half and hour after the bomb exploded. I was pretty much in shock. At first it didn't seem like a very big deal. Then I saw the pictures on T. V. when I got home, and it was totally unbelievable. To this day I can't understand why anyone would do something like that. It's unreal. My family and I gave a lot of things for the relief effort. My dad's been helping with the relief effort by helping to collect things at a contribution center. I still feel helpless, though. I hope that everyone has been able to help out, and if they couldn't help with materialistic things, I hope they kept the situation in their prayers.

Melanie Sieger
9th Grade

Hi! My name is Antonio. I'm writing you to tell you about the bombing in Oklahoma City.

It was April 19, 1995. I was at school. When I first heard the news I thought my friend was playing, but he was for real. When I seen all of my friends crying, I ran to the nearest phone to see if my parents were all right. They were thank God. The death tool of the bombing is 144. They haven't found most people, but I hope they keep trying until the last body comes out of that building. I feel sorry for those people. I was upset and angry. I felt like doing something. Ill the people with a word of advice "Keep your head up no matter what happens." The End.

Antonio Oliver
7th Grade

April 19, 1995 11:00 a.m. I was in 2nd hour block when the principle came on the intercom and said, "May I have your attention please. I know that their has been some concern about the bomb that went off in downtown O.K.C. earlier this morning. I do not know what the building is at this moment. If you are a child who's parents work downtown please come to the library at this time." My heart was pounding. I could feel the adrenalin flowing through my body. I took one glance as my teacher, He knew. He shook his head and said, "Take the hall pass." I grabbed the hall pass. The only thing going through my mind was not my mom please god don't take my mom. As I walked into the library, I was almost crushed. I asked the librarian about the bombing and told her that my mom works down town. The librarian said, "Sit here I will be back in a moment." I was almost in tears when the librarian came back. I stood up and she said "She's O.K." I was so thankful, all I could say was thank God.

11:30 a.m. I was steel very suspicious. I had to see for myself. I had to do it. I had to risk getting in trouble. I had to sneak in the halls without getting caught using the phone. I began to tense up as I put my quarter in the pay phone. The teachers told us the phones downtown were shut down. But I steel had to talk to my mom. I called my grand ma to see if she had heard from mom. My grand ma said, "Your mom called me a little earlier and said she is O.K. She's at home." I sighed with relief.

3:30 p.m. I arrived at home I saw my mom at home setting on the couch, and my dad was on the floor setting next to my mom, watching the terrible destruction of the Oklahoma Federal Building.

5:15 p.m. When we arrived downtown I saw it. I was so glad my mom wasn't in it. I kept saying over and over again, Oklahoma? We parked our car and began to walk around. All the buildings around had no windows. There it was up close and like the city was dead. People as many as you could seen at one corner not saying one word and just looking with their mouths just hanging open. We walked around, but couldn't stay to long as it was to devastating. April 20, 1995 5:00 p.m. I heard from my aunt. She said that my cousins' father is missing. He was a secret service agent in that building at the time of the bombing. I broke down and began to pray in my room that they will find their father.

Justin Willmon
7th Grade

On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m., my world changed forever. I realized if you aren't safe in the "Heartland of America," you aren't safe anywhere. Disaster struck Oklahoma City, and innocence was lost forever.

I donÕt think anyone will ever forget where they were or what they were doing when the blast rocked downtown Oklahoma City. I was sitting in Mrs. Larson's first hour Yearbook class. A man from a local photography business had come to speak to use that morning. I heard a low rumble and assumed it to be thunder, but then I looked outside and it was bright and sunny. After that I thought nothing more of it.

When I went to second hour I found out the cause of the rumble. The vice-principal came on the P. A. system and informed us the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building on the corner of 5th and Robinson was the victim of the horrible bombing. I began to worry about my Mother. I knew her office was downtown on Broadway, but I had no conceivable idea of the location in relationship to the explosion site. I wondered if she was hurt, or if when I got home would she be there?

When I got home that afternoon I realized both of my parents were safe. That afternoon was the first time I saw an actual picture of the damage done to the building. The damage to the building is hard to describe. The whole north side of the building looked as if someone had ripped it off. The news channel showed pictures, taken earlier, of people still trapped on the upper floors, another picture of a little girl who had just celebrated her first birthday the day before, being handed to a local fireman by a police officer. I could see the little girl had blood all over her face and that she probably wasn't going to make it. I know this picture will remain with me for the rest of my life.

The point that bothers me the most is that the person responsible knew he would be ending innocent lives, but he didn't care. It's hard to imagine that someone could be so cruel and heartless. I'll bet if the person who committed this terrible crime was ever asked by a small child, of three or four, why Mommy or Daddy wasn't coming home that night, hopefully he would think twice. Whatever the person or persons responsible for this crime thought they would prove or accomplish, I believe they have failed miserably. In spite of everything the bomber did, this city has refused to let them win. The rescuers and the people of Oklahoma City have shown the meaning of the word "courage."

I can tell you one thing for sure, I will never complain about nothing happening in Oklahoma City.

Jennifer McRae
8th Grade

It was a disaster. It happened April 19, 1995. It was sad hundreds of people hurt or dead. I went by the building the night after it happened. Half of the building was blown away, glass was everywhere. People swarmed the streets taping the building and looking at it. One of the most saddest thing was that little kids had to die. Just because a couple of guys had to go and blow something up! Just thinking about all those people who's family are hurt because of this tragedy. I hope those two guys get what they deserve.

Jessica Sharp 7th Grade

An explosion, a cloud of debris, a shockwave, destruction, and death. All of these occurred and affected many people in one way or another. For many, it was the loss of a loved one or perhaps it was just the surprise of a bomb in Oklahoma. I personally was shocked by the fact that someone could be in the heartland of America and damage or destroy so many lives without thinking of feeling any remorse.

Many think that the U. S. is safe, but when the bomb went off I was in my first class and went into shock. Anger was the first thought in my mind and for good reason. Many of my friends parents were in or by the building which caused shock, stress, and hope for survival.

Such a terrible event isn't believable in most people's eyes. But it is a good sign when so many volunteers come to help. It's just sad that it took such a horrible event to bring them together.

Travis Campbell 7th Grade

The bombing in Oklahoma City was a cruel injustice to Oklahoma and Americans everywhere. There are many questions I would like to ask the person who performed the bombing, but one question really stands out in my mind. Why? Why did he or she have to commit such a horrible act of violence? What personal vendetta did this person have against all those people? After all if he just wanted to destroy the building he could have just as well done the bombing at night. I wonder if he or she realizes all the pain and suffering he had caused.

I have heard much talk of how the person should be punished. Many people believe he or she should be blown up. Other people want many other horrible and unusual punishments. What these people don't realize is that to commit such a horrible act these people must have no respect for human life. The person could have just as well died in that bombing and he or she would be perfectly content. If he or she is still alive then they must simply enjoy vast amounts of human suffering. To sit back and watch hundreds of innocent people killed just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time is a very sick thing.

We owe the rescue workers from all over the country a great debt of gratitude. If not for the tireless work of these people many of the survivors would not be alive today.

The bombing itself has brought the people of Oklahoma closer than ever before. It is sad though, that such a tragedy had to take place to draw us together.

All in all the bombing of the federal building was a horrible act of violence. It is hard to imagine all of the emotional stress that the rescue workers are going through. My heart and spirit goes out to them. God knows they need some hope in their life.

Adam Harper
8th Grade

April 19, 1995/Wednesday I go to Kerr Jr. High School, it's not such a great school such as Carl Albert Jr. High but it's OK.

I was in my first hour it was somewhat normal. I do not know that while I was having the time of my life, people were dying in a bomb in Oklahoma City, down town.

I went to my second hour and saw news was on my teacher, Mr. Grantham, to bad what happened. I was shocked who on Earth would want to do such a thing? They believed that Arabic people did it. I thought, what did we do to them to make them do that bombing?

When I went home my mom told me someone Aunts sister was in the bombing. I don't know what I would have done if my Aunt was in the bomb.

Once I saw the fireman holding the dead baby I was startled.

I thought how immature, something make them mad and they bomb a federal building with a nursery in it. Maybe they knew that the nursery was in there. If they did why did they hurt the children. If not why did they pick that place, was it just a normal pick or did they have a purpose for doing that. Was it a test for President Clinton?

We may never know why they did that, but all we know is that was there 2nd anniversary.

The people affected in the bomb will never be the same. I hope John Doe #2's caught and put to justice.

Stephanie Dawn LeMaster
8th Grade

When I heard about the bombing I thought it was no big deal. Until I got home and found out my mom was supposed to be in the building at that time then my sister got sick and my mom had to change it to 10:00 a.m., but by the she was down there she saw the building right when it happened but she thought it was a fire and heard it was a bomb. I was at my school, Kerr Jr. High, when the bombing occurred. There were people crying and calling to make sure there parents are ok. When I got home I saw the hurt parents and kids with blood all over them. In my English class we received notes from North Carolina trying to cheer us up. We all had fun reading the notes. It helped cheer us up some. I thought I was going to cry because of the kids that were killed. One day about a week ago I went to get my eyes checked for contacts. While we were down town my mom took me to see the building. When we got close to it there was wood where all the windows in all the buildings were blown out. Once I saw the sight the side that was blown out and just plain black. I did not see how any body could have done that. I think that John Doe #2 should be cuffed, pinned, taped, and chained to a pole but first have him make a few bombs the set the bombs off and let the building collapse on him.

John Clopton
7th Grade

"Turn on the TV," one teacher said, so we turned on the TV. We saw a building in pieces. Bodies were everywhere. When they identified the building some people started to cry. Then the school set up a counseling center in the library for the kids whose parents or friends were in or worked around the building. It was a horrible site looking at all the bodies as they were laid out on the concrete. Some were covered in blood and some that had just got scratched by the glass. It was horrible as we watched on the TV. We had just gotten into first hour when we first heard. We went all day worrying about the people that were in the building and the people working in the building. It didn't stop there, most of the people went home and watched on the TV and watched it all night. All it was was dead and almost dead bodies that belonged to a family. Now all those kids or parents don't have a parent or child anymore. Then everything was changing. People were chipping in. The people were giving blood. They were giving food or money and clothing for relief effort. Then they caught and arrested Timothy McVeigh, the terrorist and put him in jail. The only thought now is to get the people out and to find John Doe #2. As for the penalty for the killer, I don't want him to get a lethal injection. That would be too easy to die with the shot. As for me I'll let God have control. Sincerely,

T. J. Pricer
7th Grade

I was at school April 19, 1995 in the morning the day the Federal Building blew up.

We didn't know a building blew up until a couple of hours after it happened.

The first time they told us a building Downtown blew up I was scared because I didnÕt know if my mom's building was the building that blew up.

They told us we couldn't watch what happened on TV and that we had to keep doing what we were doing in class before the bombing.

It was lunch time when they told us which building blew up.

I was thankful that it wasn't my mom's building and that she was okay but, I was also sad because I had friends that had relatives and friends in the Federal Building when it blew up.

When I also heard about a YMCA being so close that it collapsed and it had a nursery filled with little kids and babies on the second floor, it made me fill up with tears of anger and sadness.

The bombing caused great sorrow and pain to everyone that was in it and heard about the horrible news of TV.

The bombing also made me and everyone else think how America's Society will change and how America will change in the near future.

Mona Rohler
7th Grade

They say it was worse than the World Trade Center, to me, that is hard to believe. The bomb in Oklahoma City was the most devastating event I have ever seen. It really hurt me to see all the people scrambling around in a frantic manner minutes after the bomb went off. I do not have any relatives that work in the federal building, but my mom did work in the Journal Record Building which was also damaged badly by the bomb. Luckily my mom is doing great without a scratch on her. Many of my friends though, had parents or other relatives that worked in the federal building though. Thankfully they are all fine too.

I first found out about the devastation in my second hour. I did not realize that it was so close to my mom's building so I did not worry to much about her. During second hour though, my mom showed up to tell me she was all right. That is when I realized that my momÕs building was destroyed along with many other buildings.

I keep finding myself asking "Why would they do this to Oklahoma, nothing exciting ever happens to Oklahoma." Now, I know that something bad will happen that we have no control over.

I think killing innocent people is going overboard, but killing innocent children is going way overboard. I am sure almost everyone, if not everyone, would agree with me. I am not saying killing adults is all right, because it is not all right, but killing kids has hurt me personally a lot more.

It sent chills up my spine when I saw all the people coming together to help with the rescue work, and help counsel people who have lost a loved one or are missing a loved one in this tragic event. It also made people see just how many caring people do live in the Heartland of America. This gives them a great reason to call Oklahoma the "heartland" of America.

Alysa Fraley
8th Grade

The morning of April 19, 1995 at 9:02 am the Oklahoma City bombing took place. I was in my first hour when it actually took place and I found out in second hour. My first impression was oh no who do I know that is down there. The first person that I knew who had a loved one down there was my second hour teacher. Later on I found out that I had a lot more friends who had loved ones and friends that were down there. All day I kept seeing more people crying who knew about their loved ones and their friends' loved ones. Later on in the day I found out about one of my old friend's mother. She had glass in her eyes and got her shoulder cut really badly. Just about two or three days later I found out one of my close friend's step-mother was still missing and was yet to be found.

I was very surprised on how fast and how many people came. By the time I got home for dance it was all over the television. Later on I heard from a lot of people that some firefighters or some rescue workers went to get something to eat and some people noticed their shirts and picked up their bill for them, and these were some of the same firefighters who were at the World Trade Center bombing and were very surprised at that because at New York City, NY they had to buy their stuff for everything. I turned on the radio and all you heard was revenge against the ones who bombed the building and sympathy for the hurt, missing, and dead. Not only were there so many deaths, but the sad thing is many of them were little children and babies along with the adults.

Sunday, one week after the bombing, I went with my church, First Presbyterian Church, to deliver cookies to the volunteers downtown. We went across from the Southwestern Bell Building. Also we got to see that big piece of concrete that is hanging off the top of the building, it is HUGE. For as dangerous as it is there sure was a lot of people just looking around.

Now going back to the first guy, McVeigh, was arrested and is now held at the federal prison in El Reno. I was so happy that they caught him and had him in jail. But after they let the other guy go I was like oh great here we go again. After that I found out that they were still holding him and his brother as material witnesses. As of now most of things have calmed down a lot.

Leslee Smith
7th Grade

Hi, my name is Marina Holder, I am 13 years. old. I live in Del City OK. I am seriously thinking about the bomb that went off in downtown OKC. I had friends and my best friends' mom and my best friends' mom and nephew were in the building. Chepell which is my best friends' nephew is only 1 1/2 years old and he was in the nursery and they found him and he was dead. So right now my best prayers are with all the people that is in or was in the Federal Building. I hope everyone gets well soon.

Marina Holder
7th Grade

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Okalahoma City after the bombing:
The Southeast side
The East side showing memorials.
The First Methodist Church where relatives and friends went to await news of their loved ones after the bombing.
The YMCA building after the bombing. Note the boarded up windows.