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A quarter of a century later, there are many who remember the April 8, 1998 tornado like it was yesterday. Pat Burchfield was a freshman in April 0f 1998, but now teaches at Oak Grove High School. "I remember hearing a report that there was some damage to the school that night and then waking up the next morning that the school was completely devastated," Burchfield remembers. "You know, just shocking."The former Oak Grove School actually housed students in grades K-12. When the tornado destroyed the building, the school was divided in half and sent to two temporary locations until new schools were built. Lance Northcutt started teaching at Oak Grove School in 1992 and now teaches at Oak Grove High School."K-8 went to McAdory, 9-12 went to Gilmore Bell," Northcutt recalls. "So, we had brothers and sisters not going to the same location. We had buses having to go to two different locations. I, at the time, taught 8th grade math and high school math."A tree in front of Oak Grove High School memorializes the more than 30 people in the community killed by the 1998 storm. Bricks from the old school surround the tree. "What was so amazing about that time was how the community kind of rallied together," Burchfield adds. "And I still have some of my fondest memories from high school were from that time period when we were going to a different school. We didn't really have a home."25 years later, Oak Grove has built back and is stronger than ever. However, many are left with a lifetime of memories from April 8, 1998. "I remember pine straw stuck in school buses," Northcutt explains. "I remember weird things like the teacher across from me, her name was Janet Handshaw. They found her gradebook in Pell City, but Coach McKinney's gradebook was still sitting in the gym, open to 5th period."Oak Grove remains the site of one of the strongest storms to ever hit Central Alabama.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. —
A quarter of a century later, there are many who remember the April 8, 1998 tornado like it was yesterday.
Pat Burchfield was a freshman in April 0f 1998, but now teaches at Oak Grove High School.
"I remember hearing a report that there was some damage to the school that night and then waking up the next morning that the school was completely devastated," Burchfield remembers. "You know, just shocking."
The former Oak Grove School actually housed students in grades K-12. When the tornado destroyed the building, the school was divided in half and sent to two temporary locations until new schools were built.
Lance Northcutt started teaching at Oak Grove School in 1992 and now teaches at Oak Grove High School.
"K-8 went to McAdory, 9-12 went to Gilmore Bell," Northcutt recalls. "So, we had brothers and sisters not going to the same location. We had buses having to go to two different locations. I, at the time, taught 8th grade math and high school math."
A tree in front of Oak Grove High School memorializes the more than 30 people in the community killed by the 1998 storm. Bricks from the old school surround the tree.
"What was so amazing about that time was how the community kind of rallied together," Burchfield adds. "And I still have some of my fondest memories from high school were from that time period when we were going to a different school. We didn't really have a home."
25 years later, Oak Grove has built back and is stronger than ever. However, many are left with a lifetime of memories from April 8, 1998.
"I remember pine straw stuck in school buses," Northcutt explains. "I remember weird things like the teacher across from me, her name was Janet Handshaw. They found her gradebook in Pell City, but Coach McKinney's gradebook was still sitting in the gym, open to 5th period."
Oak Grove remains the site of one of the strongest storms to ever hit Central Alabama.
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