Teen displaced by hurricane attends OKC school
The new girl’s accent gave her away.
But it was the way Viviana carried herself that impressed U.S. Grant High School sophomore Katelyn Hockman.
“I noticed something was different about her when she first walked in the class,” Katelyn, 16, said Friday. “I didn’t recognize her and I knew she was new. When she sat down and raised her hand for questions I knew she was different than all of us.”
Viviana, 14, a Germanborn teenager from the Houston area, had been displaced by Hurricane Harvey. She and her mother and their two dogs left their home before the storm hit and drove north.
They ended up in Oklahoma City, where they checked into a Red Roof Inn and waited it out.
“I was pretty scared because it was my first big hurricane,” said Viviana, who asked that she not be identified by her last name. “I didn’t know what to expect. I was worried.”
Mother and daughter learned they would be staying longer than anticipated when Viviana’s father — who stayed behind in south Texas — said the new home the family had moved into in May sustained considerable damage.
“We have to replace the whole bottom floor,” the girl said.
On Aug. 30, Viviana’s mom contacted Grant Principal Greg Frederick to ask if it would be possible for Viviana to enroll, even if only temporarily, at the school, 5016 S Pennsylvania Ave.
Frederick welcomed the new student with open arms.
“She was just concerned that Viviana get some sense of normalcy back to her life, and school was something that Viviana’s always enjoyed,” he said.
“Of course we were going to welcome her for whatever length of time she needed to be with us. I mean, that’s just being a good neighbor.”
Counselor Amber Dubuc characterized Viviana, an A student who enrolled in Advanced Placement classes at Grant, as mature, open-minded and friendly.
“She has put out a presence and an aura about her that has received lots of positive reaction from the teachers and the students,” she said. “She was very kind and willing to share. I think everyone just kind of gravitated toward her and really wanted to hear as much as she wanted to tell.”
Dubuc said Viviana’s ability to acclimate to different environments — she moved to the U.S. when she was 11 and lived in Colorado for two years before moving to Spring, Texas — may be her most impressive quality.
“I just don’t know very many kids her age or adults who could just be like ‘all right, I’ll just go to school here for a little while, even though I’m on summer vacation,’” she said.
Friday, Viviana’s eighth day as a U.S. Grant student, turned out to be her last.
She is returning to Houston on Sunday and will begin a new school year there on Monday.
She relished her experience in Oklahoma.
“It was really nice, everyone was so welcoming,” she said.
Katelyn says she will miss not seeing her new friend everyday. The two attended a Grant volleyball game this week and have been spending time together after school.
“We plan to keep in touch over the phone,” she said.
Fellow sophomore Damon Torres said he will miss Viviana’s outgoing personality.
“She’s nicer than what most people would be if that type of thing happened to them,” he said. “I couldn’t picture having my house torn down like that.”