V.S. Memorial students stand strong with Uvalde

As schools across Long Island opened their doors for students earlier this year, the concern for their safety has become paramount in the wake of the tragedy that transpired back in May at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, when a gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers.

It was the nation’s 27th school shooting this year, according to NPR, and the deadliest shooting in a Texas public school.

The rippling effects of that tragedy is still kept in mind for students and staff at Memorial Junior High School who wore maroon and white on September 6 —  the first day of school for Robb Elementary students — to stand in support of the public-school students more than 1,000 miles away from Long Island.

School districts throughout northern Texas were originally encouraged to wear maroon and white —  the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District’s colors — but the movement has since taken the nation’s school districts by storm including at Memorial.

“This was the first time our friends in Uvalde had gone back to school since the devastating tragedy at Robb Elementary,” said Superintendent Wayne Loper. “When I heard that districts across the country were doing this to show support, I knew we would want to take part.”