"It went by fast. It went by fast," says Chief Lance Taylor.
"It doesn't seem that long ago," says Monica Hollowell, a graduate of the HPHS.
"I remember that day like it was yesterday, it was a long day," says Lucas Knight, HPHS senior.
It was a long day for everyone and for Worden Fire Chief Lance Taylor, it's that morning that has burned an image in his mind he'll never forget.

"I can still see my imprint of the original fire from driving by in my personal rig to see what it was, to making the loop over here getting the truck and going back, how much it had spread and realizing that, we weren't going to stop it, it was past the point of no return."

Some students can still picture images from that day as well.
"I saw the fire that was shooting out of the top of our gym and how like the whole top of the high school was on fire," says Clay Cranford, HPHS graduate.

"When the science building went up there was a bunch of yellow and purple flames, colorful flames going up and that's been stuck there," says Carly Texley, HPHS senior.

"The volleyball girls were pulling up the flag and you could see the smoke in the background," says Cady Siemion, a middle school student.

"When they got that halfway up it just, everybody started breaking down and realized what was happening," says Knight

The flag was a major symbol that day a year ago when Huntley Project High School burned to the ground, now it sits next to a big empty lot.

"Now that we don't have to look at it, that helps considerably now and I think it's a start of a healing for the community," says Chief Taylor.

September 18, 2008 has left a scar on the hearts of many, but for Chief Taylor, it's an open wound that won't seem to heal.

"I kind of look at it from my point of view as a failure on my behalf because it did burn all the way down."

But the students view this fire chief as a hero in their eyes and want him to know how much his dedication that day means to them.

"Just give them a big thanks, I mean they put a lot of effort into it," says Cranford.

"I want to thank them so much, it was great of them to stay here all night and help because they really did try to put it out and it was a big fire," says Texley.

As for the four students charged in this case, there aren't any hard feelings toward them either.

"They've gotten their lesson they know. It wasn't right," says Texley.
"Things happen for a reason and so you just have to live with it," says Siemion.
"People do make bad choices and what they did was wrong but I think that we don't have a meaning to be mad at them," says Michael Middleton, HPHS freshman.

"You have to learn to forgive, I mean people make mistakes, but that's a pretty big mistake to make," says Knight.

"You know what do you do, we all screw up and make mistakes. The biggest thing is hopefully it was a learning experience and they can get on with life," says Chief Taylor.

Now, a year later, that's exactly what they plan to do.
"Just keep on pushing through it and it'll go by fast," says Cranford.
"A positive attitude will get you a long way," says Hollowell.
"Hang in there Huntley, a couple more years of this and then you get a new school," says Texley.
It's a place to build years of memories and a brand new home for the Huntley project family.
At the beginning of the month the $9.75 million bond passed, plans to rebuild the junior high and high school can begin. Officials say it will take at least a year and a half to build the 90,000 square-foot facilities.