Photo contributed by School District of Indian River County

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The memories of 17 lives lost in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting last year has not been forgotten by local students.

Thursday morning marked the one-year anniversary of one of the worst mass shootings in Florida history. To mark the tragedy, students from Vero Beach High School placed 17 desks on the senior patio on campus.

Each desk was a poignant reminder of the victims lost in the deadly incident that occurred Feb. 14, 2018, at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The students – who also put out the desks last year after the massacre – left flowers and wrote notes expressing their feelings on the desk, School District of Indian River County spokesperson Cristen Maddux said.

“Today, across our district, we reflect on the lives that were lost, and the families and friends of the victims who were impacted by this horrific event,” school officials said.

The school district joined 66 other school districts across Florida in participating in a moment of silence, held at 10:17 a.m. Thursday. The moment of silence was not only to remember the Parkland victims, but also victims of other school violence, including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Columbine High School massacre.

Fla. Gov. wants to review school safety policies

A day before the Parkland anniversary, Gov. Ron DeSantis filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court to call for a statewide grand jury to review school safety policies. The governor also wants to see how public entities and local school districts are responding to the new state laws.

In a statement, DeSantis said that since the Parkland massacre, the Parkland community has demonstrated courage and resiliency.

“We will never forget the heroes who risked and sacrificed their lives to protect others, nor the actions taken that day by first responders,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Casey and I continue to keep the families and loved ones of the innocents who were lost in our prayers as we honor their memory today in a moment of silence.”

Massacre’s Local Impact

The shooting in Parkland – nearly two hours south of Indian River County – caused a wave of emotions for local residents. After the shooting, dozens of students across the county, including Vero Beach High students, held protests and rallies against gun violence and for sensible gun laws.

On Thursday, 17 Vero Beach High students wore white shirts with the victims’ names written on them, officials said. Other students held posters remembering the victims of several mass shootings that took place across the nation.

Students at Oslo Middle School also remembered the Parkland victims by participating in the “Kindness Challenge.” Students are challenged to complete 17 random acts of kindness, and when a teacher catches them being kind, they document it, Maddux said.

Increased School Safety in IRC

Since the Parkland shooting, Indian River County law enforcement agencies and the school district have taken steps to create safer school environments. Some of these security measures include increased law enforcement at all public and charter schools and creating a school tip hotline.

There were six reported gun-related incidents to happen on school campuses in the county in 2018. No injuries were reported in those cases.

Maddux said school officials are also working to create a single-point entry for all campuses. The single-point entry, which will help keep trespassers off the property, is already activated at some schools.

“We make sure we control who is coming in and out,” Maddux said. “We have procedures in place so students know where to go once they arrive at school.”

Maddux said the increased law enforcement at the campuses has made students feel safer.

“Students are noticing the measures we are taking to ensure their safety, and it is making a positive impact on daily campus life,” Maddux said.

Photos contributed by School District of Indian River County