UF Students Come Together Following Stoneman Douglas Shooting

Although college students are no stranger to the occasional all-nighter, last Wednesday was filled with a different kind of sleeplessness. Waiting by the phone for hours, one University of Florida student received the worst four-word text message he could imagine: “she didn’t make it.”

The aftermath of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, hit home for many people in the UF area. To honor the lives lost and to inspire action in the community, over 300 students gathered in Turlington Plaza on Feb. 20. Around a dozen alumni of the high school stood up to speak to their peers about the impact of the last week.

Zach Xu, one of the organizers of this event and a Douglas High School graduate, has struggled with the loss of the sister of one of his best friends. Carmen Schentrup was one of the 17 victims of the mass shooting at the high school.

He sat on his couch all night until he got a text from his friend saying that Carmen didn’t make it.

Xu, among other alumni, turned pain into action. He shared that as horrible as this tragedy is, now is the time to take action as a community.

This event brought together people directly and indirectly impacted by the mass shooting. Students came out to light candles in remembrance of the victims and to listen to the emotional stories of people that call Parkland their home.

Attendees were encouraged to make donations toward relief programs for the students coping with what has happened. The mental health of the people who witnessed the shooting or lost someone are Xu’s main priority.

“The kids can’t even sleep at night, they can’t eat and the only thing keeping them together is being with friends,” Xu said.

He wants to make sure that everyone at his former high school has access to the support and counseling that they may need.

Speakers discussed everything from their siblings hiding under desks and hearing the sound of the gunshots to what they think needs to change legally going forward. Opinions concerning gun control were clearly voiced.

The kids can’t even sleep at night, they can’t eat and the only thing keeping them together is being with friends.

Allison Beer, another Douglas High School graduate, stood up to speak about the loss of a close family friend. The hand holding her printed speech shook rapidly as she addressed her peers from on top of a table.

She said she was in her Gainesville apartment when her brother, a current Douglas High School student, texted her about what was happening.

“It’s really hard, but everyone there is very strong,” Beer said. “I don’t think everyone realized how close everyone was until this happened.”

She hoped that her story and other people’s stories would help to inspire all of the students that went to the event.

One of the key trends from speaker to speaker was that they want Douglas High School to be the last school shooting. Many of the speakers said that they never thought that their own high school would become a statistic.

Xu described Parkland as one of the safest places you could imagine. That’s why it was so difficult for him to hear about a mass shooting in the place he considers his home.

“If it can happen in Parkland, it can happen anywhere else,” he said.

Xu made a point of emphasizing how no one should have to fear getting up and going to school in the morning. He said that it’s sad that something like this has to happen for people to take action, but he’s proud to be part of such a supportive group.

The hundreds of UF students present at the event were respectfully silent throughout the event. Strangers and friends alike had the forum to be emotional without fear of judgement.

If it can happen in Parkland, it can happen anywhere else.

Following the event, people stayed to exchange hugs and to offer supportive words to those who stood up to speak.

The attendees were challenged to donate money and to donate their time toward contacting legislators that have influence within Florida.

“I want this to be a small puzzle piece in the larger picture of change,” Xu said.

You can visit the event Facebook page to see how you can show your support.

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