UF student continues campaign to honor MSD shooting victims

As the second anniversary of a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School approaches on Feb. 14, a UF student and MSD alumna has come up with more ways to remember those who were killed.

Elizabeth Stout, a 20-year-old UF political science sophomore, is continuing her social media campaign called the 17-Day Celebration this year. The campaign honors each of those who died by asking people to take part in an activity that the person loved — and Stout, who was the former March For Our Lives Gainesville president, has reintroduced the concept by making a new list of activities for 2020.

On Tuesday, participants did outdoor activities to honor Alyssa Alhadeff, who played soccer. On Wednesday, they jogged for Scott Beigel, a teacher and cross country coach who provided shelter for students during the shooting.

On Thursday they watched space movies for Martin Duque Anguiano, a “Star Wars” fan, and on Friday, they will eat Oreos for Nicholas “Nick” Dworet.

The activities continue until Feb. 14, when participants are told to spend the day with loved ones, Stout said. 

She said she thinks about Carmen Schentrup, a victim of the shooting, every day. Stout was in a psychology classroom with Schentrup when the shooter entered. 

“I hope for people to get out of this movement that even in the darkest of times and a lot of times where people feel hopeless, you can make something positive out of a negative situation,” she said. 

The campaign post currently has more than 300 likes on Instagram and more than 1,100 shares on Facebook. 

Stout created the celebration in 2019 as the first anniversary of the shooting in Parkland approached after her therapist suggested making something positive out of the situation, she said. 

“I decided that every single day, one person should be honored by remembering them for who they were and what they liked to do,” she added.

Stout was editor-in-chief of the Aerie yearbook at the high school in 2018, so she used the records to identify special activities the victims enjoyed. She also searched the internet for their likes, asked family members about their habits and remembered conversations she heard at funerals, she said. 

Araceli Pillaca-Gutierrez, a 22-year-old UF graduate and MSD alumna, went on an hour-long run with her dogs Messi and Princesa to honor Alhadeff on Tuesday. She’s encouraging others around her to participate as well, she said. 

“We can’t forget them — and by doing their favorite things for 17 days, we’re honoring and remembering them since they no longer can do those things themselves,” she said. 

But Stout honors and remembers the victims for more than just the 17 days. She carries them around her neck in a necklace with the words “fly high” etched onto the surface. It represents her high school mascot, an eagle.

Some MSD survivors struggle to open up to their peers, as others do not understand the trauma they endured, Stout said. Her advice to MSD students at UF is to talk to people who can relate to them and to stay in touch with one another.

Photos on Parkland survivor Elizabeth Stout’s calendar are hung to remember the lost lives in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy.