Sisters aided by NLC’s Katrina tuition waiver, scholarships

It was a day that changed everything: Aug. 29, 2005. A city became a dump and people's lives became tragic.

The memory of Hurricane Katrina is still fresh after a year, and residents remember the day with emotion, angst and annoyance.

Two North Lake College students, sisters Charonne, 19, and Ashley Bynun, 21, and their cousin Errion Dominguez, 19, are among those who left their home on a short notice just hours before the catastrophe.

On the evening of Aug. 24, on her way back from Warren Easton High School, Charonne noticed people lining up for gas. She knew there would be a storm but not of such intensity.

They were all getting ready for Jamboree, a big football game, and were looking forward to the weekend. The game was canceled and, their mother told Ashley and Charonne that they had to leave New Orleans. At this time they discovered something was going wrong. At dawn Aug. 28, they escaped New Orleans, hoping to come home again.

“We had to be out of the city so quick that we couldn't grab anything,” said Charonne. I walked out with nothing but a pair of shorts, a slipper and tennis shoes.” It was the same story for her sister Ashley. However, Ashley was planning to move out of New Orleans but not that way.

After fleeing New Orleans, Ashley's family was in Jacksonville, Fla., for a month. Then they made their way to Texas because Ashley was already there; their cousin Errion had gone to Mississippi and later to Memphis. Moving from New Orleans, their home, to a totally new place was, in fact, a challenge.

“It felt like starting life all over again,” said Charonne. “We had to buy every single thing from a toothbrush to other basic essentials for living. However, there are things that I've lost forever and money cannot buy them, especially my baby blanket,” she said, with eyes full of tears.

It was indeed starting life from nowhere, but they felt lucky to get back to school. On hearing that North Lake College had some tuition waivers for Katrina evacuees, Ashley decided to enroll that very semester, while Charonne joined her the following semester.

“We felt much more cared for here,” Charonne said. If we had to go back to Louisiana, we had to pay the same [tuition]. It seems other states care about us than does our own. Ashley said she finds North Lake fun with different cultures learning together. As for Errion, she plans to resume school soon.

North Lake has stepped up to help students from New Orleans. A total of 44 students in the fall semester of 2005 and 52 students in the spring semester of 2006 were enrolled at North Lake, according to the latest fi gures from Academic Adviser Dottie B. Phillips.

“In the fall semester of 2005- 2006, students were given Katrina waivers that gave them in-district tuition for the two semesters,” said Phillips. “But this summer and fall the students needed to prove their residency status in Texas for the indistrict tuition.”

North Lake also carried out the Scholarship America program in 2006 with funding of $15,000. These scholarships were granted to 19 students in the spring semester and part of the summer semester of 2006, said NLC's Planning and Development Grant Manager Clarissa J. Davanay.

It's been a rough ride all the way for them. “I've become more mature and learned that life is not a game, and everything happens for a reason,” Charonne shared. As for Ashley, she knows her goals and priorities better now.

The experience has opened her eyes. “I want to go ahead with my nursing degree,” she said. On the other hand, Errion said she feels lonely and misses what she used to do, but still is happy for what life has brought her so far.

With one year after Katrina, they not only remember the worst time of their lives, but also take time to cherish their good old days at New Orleans.

Ashley was happy to be there at the Mardi Gras this year. She was rejuvenated to see people, as many of them hadn't seen each other since the catastrophe.

On the other hand, she is sick of seeing the dreary images of the hurricane every day in the media. “It makes you so sorry, but let's get over with it,” she said. “It's already past. Don't be sorry for me,” she said. “It's over. There is nothing you can do. Move on. Be blessed with what you have today,” added Charonne.

Within a year, they have been in New Orleans couple of times, but for them it's not the place they call home. They just want to visit the place, but do not think of resettling.

“I thought I would live there all my life, but today I'm fi ne where I am,” said Ashley. “No, I don't want to back to New Orleans. It's just a bunch of memories for me now,” continued Errion. Charonne pointed out the class difference; the difference between rich and poor and the evolving hatred. “In New Orleans, it's not what you know, but who you know,” she said.

More than 365 days after Katrina, more stories and facts are coming out and being shared every day. The story of Ashley, Charonne and Errion isn't only their individual story, but a story that represents a city and what its people went through.

Having to start life all over again from ground zero is unimaginable, but not impossible. This is what the lives of people from New Orleans reveal.

This is what Ashley, Charonne and Errion reveal with hope and optimism.