The following letter was written to Benton High School by three students who were evacuated from South Louisiana after the recent hurricanes:

Dear Benton High School,

We the children from New Orleans, Louisiana, would like to thank you for everything you have done for us.  During this time of hurt we have really needed as much love as possible.  Even though everyone has to go through certain experiences in life, you never expect losing a home, a place where you can lay your head comfortably and feel as though nothing could hurt you.  When this incident occurred it was a shock to us all.  We never thought that it would become this serious, but we also feel that it was an eye opener for many people to see all the things that were going on in New Orleans.  At times we complain about the situation, but then we realize that it could be worse.  We could have lost our lives and been trapped in the city with the rest of our family and friends, but in due time I feel that God will bless us with something better than what we had.  If we only believe, we can still continue to achieve our goals.  It was hard to lose a home, but it would be even harder to lose our education which is something that we need in life to be successful young people.  Benton, you accepted us as we were and never even questioned us, and we really appreciate that!  So with your help we will continue to hold our heads up high and say proudly that we will not let anything tear us down and apart because we are strong survivors.

Thank you,

Deshanna McDonald, Veriesha Bunch, Shulton Crawford of New Orleans