Monday marks the fourth anniversary of one of the deadliest school shootings in American history.
On Feb. 14, 2018, a gunman stormed the halls of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, murdering 14 students and three faculty members. Seventeen others were injured.
The students killed during that tragic day ranged in age from 14 to 18.
Families of those who lost loved ones recently got some closure in October when the gunman, Nikolas Cruz, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting. Cruz will be sentenced for his crimes later this year.
Schools across the Broward County Public School District will mark the anniversary on Monday with a day of reflection and community service.
At Riverside Elementary School in Coral Springs, students will participate in a campus beautification project and book bag drive. A local artist will draw murals on several buildings and give students an opportunity to do the same. Students will fill backpacks with several books of their choice to share with children for summer reading.
At New River Middle School in Fort Lauderdale, students are writing and posting messages of kindness and words of encouragement on wishing well trees created by students and displayed throughout the school.
Other schools in Broward County are participating in the day of service by sharing breakfast with first responders and honoring them with presentations and certifications.
The White House on Monday also marked the somber anniversary with a statement from President Joe Biden. In it, he called on Congress to pass more gun control legislation in an effort to make sure "that the voices of victims and survivors and responsible gun owners are louder than the voices of gun manufacturers and the National Rifle Association."
"We can never bring back those we’ve lost. But we can come together to fulfill the first responsibility of our government and our democracy: to keep each other safe," the statement read. "For Parkland, for all those we’ve lost, and for all those left behind, it is time to uphold that solemn obligation."
This story includes information originally published by Danielle Seat on Scripps station WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida.
