Parkland Florida Shooting
My collage piece is entitled, “I Am Not Going to Die” based on Samantha Grady’s survivor story. Samantha remembers telling herself that she would not die as bullets were shot throughout the classroom in which she hid. In hearing Samantha’s story, I was reminded of how differently individuals respond to traumatic events. While Samantha attempted to stay calm in the moment, she found herself comforting her friend Aalayah who had a more immediate emotional response to the shooting. Although books should serve as a vehicle for knowledge and students should feel free to express their opinions at school, Samantha’s description of shielding herself with a book and speaking in a whisper stood in stark contrast with a safe school environment. Additionally, Samantha described her experience with losing her best friend, Helena, who initially handed her a book for protection. Months later, Samantha explained that she honors Helena’s memory by wearing lip gloss that Helena gave her every day, and by wearing her favorite fuzzy socks. This detail made me emotional because it highlighted the victims’ age and developmental phase of life.
My practicum site is a middle and high school, and this project reminded me that school can quickly become a place associated with terror rather than safety. Additionally, Samantha and Aalaylah’s different reactions to the event emphasize how differently individuals are affected by and cope with trauma. This is a helpful reminder when working with sibling clients at my site who may have experienced the same traumatic event. There are multiple factors that may contribute to a child or teens response depending on their past experiences and parental support. Samantha’s story reminded me that a supportive faith community and caregiver involvement can greatly assist adolescents in their recovery. Thus, caregivers should be included in treatment as much as possible. Part of the reason that I chose Samantha’s story was due to her biracial (she is Caucasian and African American) background. While the majority of school shooting media coverage focuses on white students, I work with students of color and minorities who are widely underrepresented.
