HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Hollywood Hills High School paid homage to the victims of the Parkland shooting on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.
The district organized a day of love and service throughout their schools on Thursday.
Hollywood Hills set up a “Love Hub” event where students were excused from class so they could get involved in the community and express their own pain and hurting.
Students registered for the event online and made their way to the courtyard of the school throughout the morning to take part in different activities.
Sara Pierce, a school counselor who helped put together the event said, “We really wanted to make it day of positivity for the students. It was important to us that they felt safe and comfortable coming to school. We also wanted to give them an outlet because a lot of them are experiencing trauma and pain.”
The high school’s community relates to Parkland’s pain, as they lost one of their own students last year, the day before the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy.
“A lot of our kids were feeling anxiety and were concerned about coming to school, so we really talked about how could we connect them, help them know how they could get involved in their community, in the school, build our school culture, make them feel safe and give them an opportunity to express themselves through creative needs,” said Pierce.
Students were encouraged to paint, write poetry or make a valentine to express their feelings, their thoughts and well wishes for the Parkland community.
At around 10 a.m. the students made their way from the courtyard to an assembly room to participate in the district-wide moment of silence.
“In this moment, we wish to acknowledge the recovery and strength of our staff, students, families, rescue workers, volunteers, community partners and government officials with a moment of silence,” was announced by a school official as students sat in silence.
Other schools in Broward celebrated love and service as well.
Down the road, student from the Glee club at Beachside Montessori Village sang to parents and students as they arrived in the morning to spread cheer and remind members of the community that they are appreciated.
Students at Fort Lauderdale High School painted rocks and wrote encouraging messages on them to reach out and show that those suffering are not alone.
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