JOPLIN, MO (KCTV) -
Joplin High School's class of 2012 is heading into the real world with a message from Pres. Barack Obama. He addressed the school during Monday night's graduation ceremony on the eve of the anniversary of the tornado that killed 161 people.
Now, the community is looking forward, planning for the next generation of students to go through the school. The excitement and emotions on the one-year anniversary continue to build, inching closer to when the community takes part in the 2:30 p.m. Unity Walk.
Tuesday morning, more than 100 people from the Joplin area celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Irving Elementary School. The school will be built on the grounds of the St. John's Hospital.
With shovels in hand, district officials, parents, and their kids all took part in the groundbreaking. As one parent explained, it's a sign that Joplin has no doubt come far.
"It's a new beginning for Joplin and the school district. They've worked so hard to get to this point and this is just - it's an incredible feat what we've come through. I'm just proud to be a Joplin mother of kids in school for the high school and the elementary," said Debbie Gould.
Also Tuesday, there is a lot of work going on to put the finishing touches on the finale of the Unity Walk. The walk leaves the parking lot area of the Walmart on the eastern side of the city at 17th and Range Line, travels through the area devastated by the EF-5 twister, and ends at Cunningham Park.
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