FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale displayed a moving memorial on the one-year anniversary of the Parkland shooting.
Students gathered together on Thursday morning around 17 empty desks displayed with a yellow rose, candle and clay angel.
Some students were overcome with emotion while honoring the victims.
“Makes you think. These parents don’t have their kids, these families don’t have people they love on Valentine’s Day like today, where we’re supposed to show love, which makes me feel for these families,” said David Brennan, a senior at the school.
Another senior, Megan Smith, said, “It’s very sorrowful. For me, it’s a hard day, but it’s also a day of coming together.”
The courtyard memorial served as a place for prayer as students focused on love and appreciation of those around them.
“It’s been hard. We’ve all struggled. I know a lot of my classmates knew students there, so they’re trying to cope with the loss,” said Ally Kueser. “We’ve tried to show our support in as many ways as we can and send our prayers and thoughts.”
“After the school day ended, everything changed for us,” said teacher Kathie Hagood. “They lost their friends, their very close friends, best friends, family members, teammates, so sometimes it’s hard for us as adults to put ourselves back into teenagers, but they’re still such young kids.”
Security has also become a focus of the school after the tragedy at Parkland.
“Personally, I’m more aware, and I look around, and I make sure if I see something, I say something,” said Kueser.
The security team at the school received thank you notes from theology students that wanted to express their gratitude for all of their hard work.
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