“Forever Changed”We’re All Hokies Today

By: The Season

Alyssa MeighanMrs. Turner

Block 7

On just an ordinary dayA weapon drawn and lives forever

changed One act of violence made the world stop

and watch And on the drill field by candlelight we

prayed

With questions on our mindswe wonder where the future lies

As we look up to heaven with hope in our eyes

Where do we go from here Can we overcome this fear

And find a healing for the painAnd see the sun beyond the rain

We’ve got the strength to endure, And soon we’ll feel more secure

In a world filled with hateWe got to become something great

Oh God send your mercy this wayFor we’re all Hokies today

And to the ones who fell that day In our hearts your love will never fade away

We’re picking up the pieces to build a better tomorrow

We’ll find a joy to move on from the sorrow

By the color of the leavesyou know God has us on his mind

So we look up to heaven with hope in our eyes

Where do we go from here Can we overcome this fear

And find a healing for the painAnd see the sun beyond the rain

We’ve got the strength to endure, And soon we’ll feel more secure

In a world filled with hateWe got to become something great

Oh God send your mercy this wayFor we’re all Hokies today

The spirit lives onDon’t let it be goneLet it shine forever

And through the heartbreakFor the lost and their sakes

Let it bring us together

Where do we go from here Can we overcome this fear

And find a healing for the painAnd see the sun beyond the rain

We’ve got the strength to endure, And soon we’ll feel more secure

In a world filled with hatewe need to become something great

Oh God send your mercy this wayFor we’re all Hokies today

Bibliography"Forever Changed Memorial Tribute - Video." Virginia Tech News. Virginia      Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2008. Web. 18 May 2010.      <http://www.music.vt.edu/news/ForeverChanged/>.NBC, comp. "Ex-classmates Say GunmanWwas Bullied." High School Classmates Say      Gunman Was Bullied. msnbc, 19 Apr. 2007. Web. 18 May 2010.      <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18169776/>. Lazenby, Roland, et al. April 16th: Virginia Tech Remembers. New York: PLUME,      2007. N. pag. Print. "Candlelight vigil for Virginia Tech schooting victims." Editorial. China Daily.      China Daily, 18 Apr. 2007. Web. 25 May 2010.      <http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-04/18/content_853672.htm>. "Forever Changed Memorial Tribute - Video." Virginia Tech News. Virginia      Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2008. Web. 18 May 2010.      <http://www.music.vt.edu/news/ForeverChanged/>. Tyler Jr., Erven. We Are Virginia Tech! Mr. Tyler Enterprises Inc., 2004. Web.      30 May 2010. <http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/varina/tyler_e/vt/      indexvt.html>.

BibliographyCho, Seung-Hui. Virginia Tech Shooter. 2007. "Exit Chained Days before Virginia      Massacre - Cops." By Chris Pearson. Aftermath News 17 Apr. 2007: n. pag.      N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2010. <http://aftermathnews.wordpress.com/2007/08/      11/exit-chained-days-before-virginia-massacre-cops/>. Reuter. "Candlelight Vigil for Virginia Tech Shooting Victims." Chinadaily.      Chinadaily, 2007. Web. 30 May 2010. <http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/      2007-04/18/content_853672.htm>. A"Profiles of Victims in Virginia Tech Massacre." msnbc. msnbc.com, 20 Apr. 2007.      Web. 30 May 2010. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18143312>. Lindsey, Sue. "33 Dead in Virginia Tech Shooting." Seattle Times. The Seattle      Times Company, 16 Apr. 2007. Web. 30 May 2010.      <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/      2003668316_webvatech16.html>. Somodevilla, Chip. "Va. Tech's Response Raises Questions." msnbc. NBC, 17 Apr.      2007. Web. 30 May 2010. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18153893/>. Templeton, Casey. "Virginia Tech: Aftermath." Newsweek. msnbc, 17 Apr. 2008.      Web. 30 May 2010. <http://photo.newsweek.com/content/photo/2008/4/      gallery-virginia-tech-shooting-aftermath.html>.

LYRICS

The band is composed of members: Kurtis Parks, Josh Kim, Jordan Metzger, and Jason Jolly.

April 26th and 27th, 2007, the band recorded “Forever

Changed,” on campus after the massacre.

Kurtis Parks, the band’s lead vocalist, is known for making it to the top 40 in season 4 of

American Idol (“Kurtis Parks”).

Kurtis and Josh both are alumni’s from Virginia Tech where they graduated from the

department of music.

With help from other students at Virginia Tech they were able to use the recording studio to record this song.

“This song is available on iTunes and all proceeds from this project go towards the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. Contact

Michael Dunston for more information regarding this project,” ("Forever Changed Memorial").

Performed with groups such as: Relient K, Sanctus Real, and

Howie Day

Killer: Seung-Hui Cho

““A weapon drawn”A weapon drawn”

Weapons:.22 caliber Walther P22 semi-automatic pistol

Glock 19 semi-automatic pistolKnife

Hammer

NBC says thathe was able to purchase

both weapons legally without any questioning. He was also able to buy ammunition off of Ebay. He was not questioned

of his mental state when he purchased the two

handguns(NBC).

LYRICS

Killer: Seung-Hui Cho

“One act of violence”

On April 16th Virginia Tech student, Seung-Hui Cho fired and killed two students in West Ambler Johnston. Before the school campus could warn people to stay home, he continued over to Norris where he killed 25 more students, and five

faculty members (“Aftermath news”).

To keep the police and others out of Norris, Cho chained all of the exits shut. Many witnesses recall seeing the chains with a note that said a bomb would go off

if they tried to get out. (Lazenby et al).

When police where finally able to get into Norris they realized how bad Cho’s

rampage was. They found Cho dead upstairs where he had shot himself

before they could get inside.LYRICS

“And on the drill field by candlelight we prayed”

April 17th students, faculty, and those in support joined together on the drill

field for a vigil. Through the tears, pain, and agony of lost Hokies they managed to show their strength in a chant as one voice cried out, “LET’S GO!”, and the crowd returned it with,

“HOKIES,” (Lazenby et al).

During the Vigil people were able to sign the posters that were set out on the drill field. The Hokie Nation was able to join together in a time of pain to show their love and sorrow they had for each and

every Hokie lost in the shooting.

LYRICS

LYRICS

“Picking up the pieces to build a better tomorrow”

LYRICS

You need to pick up all that you have left in order to move on. Things will get better, you just have to find the upside to everything.

In the years following the incident many organizations and foundations have

been formed to provide help and guidance for those affected by the

tragedy. Virginia Tech has also had many scholarship opportunities named

after students that passed.

Everyone affected by this has done their best to cope and move on.

With supportive teachers, family, and friends, everyone has

had the help they need to get through this

“For the lost”R.I.P.Ross A. Alameddine

Christopher James Bishop Brian R. Bluhm

Ryan Christopher Clark Austin Michelle Cloyd

Jocelyne Couture-Nowak Daniel Alejandro Perez Cueva

Kevin P. Granata Matthew Gregory Gwaltney

Caitlin Millar Hammaren Jeremy Michael Herbstritt

Rachael Elizabeth Hill Emily Jane Hilscher

Jarrett Lee Lane Matthew Joseph La Porte

Henry J. Lee

Liviu Librescu G.V. Loganathan

Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan

Lauren Ashley McCain Daniel Patrick O’Neil

Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz Minal Hiralal Panchal Erin Nicole Peterson

Michael Steven Pohle, Jr. Julia Kathleen Pryde

Mary Karen Read Reema Joseph Samaha

Waleed Mohamed Shaalan Leslie Geraldine Sherman

Maxine Shelly Turner Nicole Regina White LYRICS

32 Hokies were killed that day. Families were torn apart, friends were killed, and survivors are left traumatized. Those lives could’ve been saved, had someone given Cho the attention that he needed and desired. Those 32

Hokies will always be remembered. May they rest in peace.

A 76 year old hero.

Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust Survivor, died a hero on April 16th, 2007. When he realized what was going on in other classrooms he threw himself in front of the door to make a barricade. He told his students to jump out The window to save themselves. When Cho finally made it into the classroom he shot and killed Liviu, and shot at the last few students that had jumped from the window. Liviu Librescu will be remembered for his heroic efforts that saved all but one student in his class (Lazenby et al). BACK

The Rhyme scheme for the chorus is A,A,B,B.

I believe that the song Forever Changed uses rhyme scheme in the chorus,

because it is catchy. By having rhyme scheme it helps the listener to follow along

with the words, and to have a better understanding of the lyrics. Rhyme

scheme is also good, because like Dr. Seuss, it gets stuck in your head. When

something has a rhyme to it, you are more likely to remember or memorize the words.

LYRICS

Throughout the song the word “we,” is repeated. This is to say that in a time of trouble we should all come together to

help each other, rather than let everyone fend for themselves. This is important to this song, because when everyone is

dealing with such a tragedy, and losing people that they are really close to, it’s nice to be able to turn to someone when

you need help.

LYRICS

ThemeI interpreted the theme of this stanza to be that even in the roughest times, you

can always turn to your faith. Even when you feel like the rest of the world has

turned its back on you, God will always be there to listen and help. You can always look up to heaven when you

need guidance, and you will always find the help that you need, and they did. Life

goes on, and things will get better!

I think that it is saying, you can see God’s work all around you. Even if something goes wrong, you can still see all the good that is happening in the world. The reference to the color of the leaves just means

that in the fall when the leaves changed to orange and red, it is saying that it’s God’s way of thinking about

the Hokies. LYRICS

I picked this stanza from the song to do tone, because this is where I believe that it changes the most. Throughout the song, it is has a tone that is sad, and upset, but I believe that at this point in the song it changes to a more upbeat and optimistic tone. I interpreted it to be that even though this tragedy happened, you need to keep your head up, because life is still good.It’s saying that you shouldn’t forget what happened, but you should remember that it happened and know that everything happens for a reason.

LYRICS

I believe the mood of this song to be very somber. It’s dealing with a very serious and emotional matter that would definitely get down deep to some people. I think it’s an upsetting, but serious mood that helps you to think about what happened, but to uplift you at the same time. The mood changes throughout the song, but still has the same general mood. I think that it is supposed to be optimistic for people, and it’s supposed to be a way for people to cope with the Virginia Tech tragedy. A lot of people are familiar with this song, because of the mood that it has. Even when everyone was in a sad and depressed mood over what had happened, the song is a way for people to deal with their sadness in a healthier way.

LYRICS