Oklahoma Tornado: Young Survivors Begin To Heal
Children from two schools destroyed by the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma have been reunited with their classmates and teachers as other schools welcomed them with special events.
Large banners at the entrance to Wayland Bonds Elementary welcomed pupils from Briarwood - which was all but flattened by Monday's ferocious twister.On what would have been the last day of term, the event was a chance for the students and teachers to come together, reflect on the tragedy and say goodbye to the school year.
Many schools across Moore have been closed since the devastating tornado.
Recognising how traumatic the storm had been for the children, Principal Michelle McNear asked the media to keep their distance as the youngsters arrived, many clinging to family members.
But Sky News was allowed to take a look inside ahead of time at the classrooms decorated with balloons and colourful displays welcoming the visitors.
Teachers from Briarwood were there to greet their students and reunite them with rucksacks and possessions found in the debris of the school.
A drive is now on in Moore to raise money to buy more than a thousand new backpacks and toys for children from Briarwood and from Plaza Towers Elementary, where seven pupils lost their lives.
Children emerged from the event clutching balloons, and one mother told Sky News it was important to do something for the kids and let them know things will get back to normal.
But along with the emotional challenges ahead will be the bureaucratic headache for the authorities trying to find classrooms before summer ends for the nearly 1,000 pupils whose schools were destroyed.
Children have been offered counselling to deal with the memories of what happened, but teachers who battled to protect their pupils may also need help.
The test for this battered area in the weeks and months ahead will be about much more than simply rebuilding.
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