Ike: A Documentary

OUR STORY:

One month after the devastating forces of Hurricane Ike ripped through the neighborhoods of our small island, we returned to Mr. Robert Weiss's film class at Galveston's Ball High School expecting to get back to work on the black-and-white silent films we were crafting before the storm hit. Our class, now known as the Hurricane Story Tellers, were surprised to discover our new assignment: a documentary about Hurricane Ike’s effect on our community. Many of the students in our class, along with others in the student body, were dealing with the trauma of losing our own homes. We were being faced with fears of having to leave our school, our friends, and every last sense of security in our daily lives.

We set out to interview people in the community and witnessed individuals who were placing their neighbors before themselves. We had never seen the island band together in such a powerful way. Our people were determined to unite in an effort not to perish or wither away in the water that drowned our city.

Now, seven months after Hurricane Ike made landfall, the self-titled Hurricane Story Tellers bring you "IKE: A DOCUMENTARY - The Story of a Torn City Rebuilt by Everyday Heroes". Despite all of our tribulations, we have reconnected to commemorate our people. As the waves of destruction rolled back out to sea, taking our worldly belongings with them, the people of Galveston remained standing. They deserve to have their story told and we are determined to give back to our community.

All of our profits will be given back to the Galveston ISD Educational Foundation. We invite you to see through our eyes: "a tale we would tell for years to come, for it would show our prosperity, it would show our fortitude, and it would show everything we could become...Because when the sun rises, so do our people. Because when the sun rises, so does our future. Because when the sun rises, my tale is told."*

*Excerpt from BHS Student Mamie Aoughsten's Essay: "The Tales of An Island"

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OUR STORY:

One month after the devastating forces of Hurricane Ike ripped through the neighborhoods of our small island, we returned to Mr. Robert Weiss's film class at Galveston's Ball High School expecting to get back to work on the black-and-white silent films we were crafting before the storm hit. Our class, now known as the Hurricane Story Tellers, were surprised to discover our new assignment: a documentary about Hurricane Ike’s effect on our community. Many of the students in our class,... (read more)