Imagine if you will, a school full of students who have recently learned more about life and survival than any of their peers could ever imagine, eager and ready to learn from books for a while. The students are bright and attentive. The teachers are competent and caring. The school supplies are in short demand.

As if in a war zone, children fight over notebooks on the playground, steal each others' writing utensils, in the hopes of being able to return to a normal sort of life. School turns in to a struggle and a daily battle for every student because there are not enough supplies to go around.

Tens of thousands have already endured the brutal but eventual rescues, death of family members as they waited for help, loss of homes and belongings, missing pets and siblings, lives in temporary shelters and the daily struggle to keep food on the table.

This is a disaster that will stay with the Children of Katrina for their lifetimes. Will they remember the chaos and unsanitary conditions of the Super Dome? Or the struggle to locate missing family members as people were relocated across the country? What will they remember and how will it affect them?

We can't fix the past, but we can be certain that, with our help, these children can start to live normal lives again and be sure that they receive an education that will allow them to overcome this disaster and emerge on the other side with knowledge, self-esteem and a thankful heart.

Many national organizations have helped to provide food, shelter and clothing to these people. Let's do our part and help provide for their education. The Children of Katrina shouldn't be reduced to fighting like dogs in the schoolyard to have a chance at a new life.