CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Feb. 14 is a day many in Broward County will never forget. Monday marks four years since a gunman killed 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Schools across the district are participating in a day of service to commemorate the 14 students and three staff members lost in the massacre.
Students will be partaking in moments 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.
But it's not just schools taking initiative.
Emma Boyer, 14, lost her friend in the massacre four years ago and is now making it her mission to spread acts of kindness through candy bars, which she'll be handing out at the Parkland Memorial Monday afternoon.
"You felt the sadness and the terrible tragedy that had occurred, so I really wanted to honor her and just what her life meant," Boyer said.
She wants to spread awareness and fight gun violence against kids in America.
"Creating this event not only shows how much she was appreciated, as well as everybody else, but it just shows how kindness can, when we all come together, how it can really help a community in a hard time," Boyer said.
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.
Resources for family, friends, and classmates can be found here.
