BEAUMONT, Texas — Students from Brigham Young University are making the journey from Utah to Southeast Texas to learn just how hurricanes impact our community.
They spoke with people who lost everything in the storms about their experiences that have plagued our area.
Hurricane season started on June 1. Potential floods, winds, and rain are exactly why a band of student journalists from Brigham Young University are here.
“[It's] for students to go out in the real world to become journalists in that sense and interview people from those communities and create a story around that community,” student Hailey Deeds said. “So, we chose Texas because well none of us have ever been here, and we have always wanted to learn more about hurricanes and the effects that has on community.”
They're interviewing longtime residents and realizing the resilience of Southeast Texans and gaining that fresh perspective.
”So growing up in California, I have never thought too much on hurricanes like that, never experienced it," said student journalist Jamie Calica. "The idea was what I saw from the media and news, and being out here and hearing other people’s stories makes it more personal and more of an impact on you and makes you sympathize more.”
They even talked about the impacts these storms had on the ecosystem in our area.
“A lot of the trout fisherman have been saying that it has never been the same and it has hurt the oyster life here, which is huge. For that ecosystem in Sabine Lake," said Johnny Thomas.
Many things were learned here during their time in Texas, especially how Texans rally to help each other.
“There is this bond, even though they might not know each other, they are always willing to help one another,” Calica said.
These student journalists will be making the trip back to Utah on Sunday, and hopefully, they not only learned how Southeast Texas handles hurricanes but how we take care of each other.
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