My name is Clarke, I am 16 years old. New Orleans is my home. My sculpture is named Hurricane on the Rise. When Hurricane Katrina was heading to my city, I was very scared. I have Asperger's Syndrome; I get so fearful of loud noises and big changes and I knew that Katrina was going to do bad things, and be loud and hurtful, and change everything forever. My sculpture depicts the way I felt when Katrina was coming. That's me & my dog Ruby, we are running away. Katrina was very powerful - the storm was over us, my heart was worried and we had to leave our home even though we did not want to. That Hurricane did terrible things to my city. I felt that I wanted to make a piece of art that showed the way it felt trying to get away from Katrina. I wanted it to be something that would last. Something that was hard, heavy, rough-feeling. Like this sculpture and like Katrina. The memory of that time and the feelings I have about that Hurricane will be here in me forever. Love, Clarke Bordelon