Hampton students return to their school after 15 months

HAMPTON — Students and teachers were back to class Wednesday at Hampton High School. "It has been a good morning" Principal Kayla Clawson said. It was the first time classes were held at the school since Hurricane Helene had caused the Doe River to flood the building and campus on Sept. 27, 2024. For the past 15 months, students had been attending their classes in the converted Keenburg Elementary School. After months of discussions and decisions, cleanup and repair, the students were finally able to return to Hampton on Wednesday. Since students had been away from the school for so long, the first couple of hours of the morning were devoted to an orientation for the students and then tours of their school. She said a welcome home speech was given by Jackson Smith, the senior class president. Clawson said the tours were especially important for the freshmen. Some of the class had never before set foot in the building. It was even important for sophomores, who had only been attending the school for a couple of months when Hurricane Helene closed their school. Smith was one of the few students who got to come to the school a few days earlier. His dad is the basketball coach, so he helped him moved the equipment and other stuff back to the school. Smith said that was not unusual. All of the teachers moved their files and equipment to the school on Monday, using their own vehicles. On Wednesday morning, Smith welcomed all the students back to their school. He reminded them of what it means to be a Hampton Bulldog and the strong connections the school has with the community. He said they should love their school and one another. "I am very excited to be back," Smith said. Now that the student body is back, the school is in the early stages of planning a homecoming celebration. This is not the traditional welcoming given to alumni coming back to campus. This will be the celebration of a real return to home after overcoming a disaster. As the morning came to an end, the students found their way to the cafeteria for their first meal at the school in 15 months. They enjoyed cheeseburgers and appeared to be quickly settling in the routine of their new school. Cafeteria Manager Robin Vines said good morning to her granddaughter, Mattie Holtsclaw, a sophomore. She said Mattie is also a cheerleader and will be cheering for the very first time in the Hampton gym this Friday night. Mattie also plays second base on the softball team. The softball, baseball and football teams will soon have improved fields. Danny McClain, secondary education supervisor for the Carter County School System, said there will be improvements coming to the fields and other outside areas of the campus. McClain was proud of the improvements that have been made to the school since the disaster of Hurricane Helene, for several reasons. As the supervisor in charge of all the county's high schools, he is proud that the school has been repaired and improved. But before he was a supervisor, McClain was a Bulldog and served for several years as principal of Hampton High School.