7 years since Parkland school shooting marked by day of love and service
By John MacLauchlan
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PARKLAND (WFOR) — This Friday marks seven years since the Parkland school massacre.
Across Broward County schools, it is a day of service and remembrance for the 14 students and three staff members who were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, in 2018.
Students and staff across the district are participating in a variety of volunteer and service projects in honor of those lives.
Some students at Glades Middle School in Miramar wrote letters to nursing home residents while others took the physical education field to form a large heart to show that love and support outweigh hate.
“It’s a day of mourning for the tragedy that did occur. What we want to ensure for our families and to our students that it will not happen again. That we will rise above this. That love, peace and kindness is what we are going to portray,” Glades Middle School Principal Daniela Fatout said.
At 10:17 a.m., district schools and facilities paused for a moment of reflection in memory of those who died.
“We will forever hold in our hearts those who died and those who were injured seven years ago,” Broward Schools Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn said in statement. “This day serves as a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience and compassion that binds our community and a call to action for all of us to build a future rooted in love, kindness and understanding.”
At 5 p.m. there will be a community commemoration at Pine Trails Park in Parkland.
Parkland massacre led to new Florida schools safety measures Weeks after the Parkland mass shooting, families got to work to make schools safer to prevent another tragedy from happening.
The minimum age to purchase a gun was raised from 18 to 21, a red flag law was passed, and schools across the state moved to have a single entry, making it harder for outsiders to go into a building.
Another big change is the use of threat reporting apps. In Broward, they use the SaferWatch app and statewide is Fortify Florida. The reporting apps allow students who see concerning behavior to report it to law enforcement and school officials so that they can work together to investigate any concerns.
Many Parkland families are still working to do more. They say the will will continue to fight for what is needed to prevent another tragedy.
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