For the past couple of years the world has seen an increased number of school shootings across the United States and innocent lives have been shortened. A place that is supposed to be safe has turned into a warzone because no one knows what can unfold on what seems like a regular school day. Unfortunately, Majority Stoneman Douglas High School experienced a tragedy that rocked the community to its core. The lives of these children were taken too early, therefore we decided that the local area of Parkland needed a mural to honor their lives.
On Valentines Day, Nikolas Cruz, a former student walked into his former High School with the intention to harm students and faculties. No one would have imagined that a day meant to express your love and appreciation for someone would be a nightmare for all. These young adults that didn’t get the chance to graduate high school or experience the real world were stripped of those rights on February 14, 2018 in Parkland, Florida. Seventeen lives were taken away and their families were left to grieve for their daughter, son, niece, nephew, brother, and sister. The 17 victims should be remembered with a mural exhibition dedicated to the lives they had and for families, community, and classmates to honor them with love. When school shootings occur, the focus is always on the perpetrator and the reasons behind them committing the horrific crime. As a society our attention should be on honoring the victims and to never forget them. Media coverage had always focused on Nikolas Cruz, rather than who were the seventeen individuals that were murdered. What did they mean to their friends and family? What did they want to be when they grew up? Families and community members deserve a peaceful place in which they can mourn, cry, laugh, and tell stories about these 17 students.
We would like to propose making a mural of all the students who lost their lives that day. There are many steps to this process. First we would need to speak to the parents of the students and see if they’ll be okay with it. If they agree, then they could choose their favorite picture of their child so it can be painted. Along with the mural we would like to add the children’s date of birth, and a quote or saying chosen by their parents. Originally we wanted to do it somewhere on the school’s campus but that would be harder for people to come and pay their respects whenever. The second part to this was to create a little park or look for a park already in order to create the mural. I was looking at parks around and really liked the “Pine Trails Park”. There was already a small memorial done there but it was only temporarily to honor all the lives who were taken. We wanted the mural to stand out and for people to stop and read their quotes. Along with the mural, we would hang lanterns inside a little shack at “Covered Bridge Park” for each of the 17 kids and they would light up at night. Anyone can come into the shack to pay their respects in any way they would like. We would also like to add a plaque with a little background information on the mural, for those who are just maybe passing around the area and happen to see the mural.
When we came up with this proposal we were hoping to make it more welcoming and comfortable rather than the typical statue walk by and that’s it. We wanted it not only to be a place of remembrance but somewhere that family members, friends, and others could come and just spend time in the area. Instead of just passing by, I think having the mural in a place where it’s so lovely day to day with people. It’d be a good way to keep the spirits of the kids alive and not be in such a quiet or suffocating place. Their memory can live on in a place that brings joy to people, peace to people, comfort. I always think it’s best to make sure the person’s spirit lives on and is not only associated with sadness. This is why we decided to do this for our proposal.
Introduction & Problem: Sharon Jean Jacques
Proposed Solution & Conclusion: Catleen Gonzalez
We also wrote a proposal for the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting and we didn’t think of including pictures of the individuals who passed away. That is a really good idea1
I honestly like this unique idea that you guys have created. This is an idea where you can’t find it anywhere else. I also though that have individual pictures was really cool to add to your memorial.
We also proposed a memorial for school shooting victims. Although our approach on how to memorialize the tragic events are different, I think that your memorial is beautiful and is successful in its own way.
We also did a proposal for the Stoneman Douglas Highschool shooting and I liked how different our ideas were. I like your idea about putting 17 lanterns that light up at night as it is really meaningful.