ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. —

When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, St. Tammany Parish Schools weren't just dealing with wind and flood damage; they were suddenly serving an influx of students from Orleans and St. Bernard parishes.

Many arrived with only the clothes on their backs, and for Skyla Keys, it was the uncertainty about when, or if, she'd return home. Advertisement

"Seven days into high school, Katrina hits. We came back around November, and the closest thing to New Orleans East we could find was in Slidell," said Skyla Keys.

According to Keys, her parents initially tried to enroll her in one school, but the district's own losses were staggering. Roofs were torn open, classrooms were flooded, and entire campuses were unusable for months.

St. Tammany Parish Schools officials sa

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