From the class rooms to the streets, tornado sirens sounded. Students prepared as Severe Weather Awareness Week continues in Nebraska.

In Lancaster County, Norris High School students took cover to test the school's emergency plan. Four years ago, tornadoes touched down on the Norris campus and nearby Hallam. Nobody was in the school building at the time, but students remember the devastation every day.

"I think our students are certainly very much aware of and have a high level of concern about the reality of a natural disaster because so many of our residents here in this community have experienced the devastating effects of a tornado," said Principal John Skretta, Norris High School.

In May of 2004, a tornado demolished parts of Norris while another ripped through nearby Hallam.

"We didn't really know how bad it was until the next morning and then it was a shocker," said Sarah Barrett, Norris student.

"The next morning is when it really kicked in, when I went to go see the house and there was nothing there," said J.D. Areman, Norris student.

There were no students in the building that time, but each tornado drill prepares them for the time when they could be.

"We have, for example, a couple of designated safe rooms," Skretta said. "They are rooms where we will try to get as many students as possible in our facility to go to those rooms as quickly as possible, because there they stand the best chance of being safe."

Natural disaster once struck close to home for these students, now they know these drills could keep them safe.

"I think this is really important because something like this can happen again. It's really important we be prepared for the next tornado," said Bailey Jenkins, Norris student.

"Usually it's like, 'Oh, a tornado, that could never happen to me,' but it did, so therefore people are like, 'Ok, let's do business here and make sure we do it right,'" Barrett said.

The 2004 tornadoes encouraged Norris High School administrators to review their entire safety plan, making sure they're doing everything possible to prepare students for a natural disaster.

Skretta said he is pleased with how students responded to Wednesday's drill. He congratulated them for taking it seriously and getting to the safe rooms quickly.