Local student leader experiences California quake

Jenelle Bayor– Mustangs Ahead

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) – On July 4, 2019 one Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) Mustang experienced something most never have. Senior Morgan Kirchman and other members of the Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) were in Anaheim, California for the FCCLA National Leadership Conference when a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck.

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An earthquake’s magnitude can be a 1 all the way to a 9, with one being very small or unnoticed and a nine causing extreme damage.

This earthquake knocked books off shelves and pictures off walls, cars bounced around gas pumps, and food and cans littered grocery store floors.

Kirchman and other Mustangs were there for the first earthquake, but lucky for them they had already landed in Tampa by the time a second, 7.1-magnitude earthquake took place.

This earthquake was the largest in Southern California since 1999. When the quake happened, Kirchman had been on the ground floor of the hotel they were staying in.

“Since I was on the ground floor, I didn’t experience as much shaking as the others. So, my initial emotions were confusion,” she said.

Kirchman is the FCCLA State President, and was accompanied by the State President-Elect, Karinne Mitchell, who lives in West Palm Beach. Mitchell had also lived in California for four years of her life.

“I could see the hotel’s walls shaking but did not know why. Karinne recognized it was an earthquake,” said Kirchman.

The Mustangs were also featured in a video on ABC 7 News. “I was shocked when I looked on the news and realized I had actually been through an earthquake!” said Kirchman.

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