It would have been understandable if Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s student journalists and the staff suspended operations after the tragedy at their school. Instead of opting out, those students have faced the stories stemming from February 14, 2018, head on.
“We have a story to tell and it’s our story,” explained adviser Sarah Lerner.
Sharing their story
That story is being shared with schools around the country. For the first time, MSD’s 2018 yearbook is available to people outside the school.
“I was a little hesitant just because there are personal stories and student pictures in it,” Lerner said, but she eventually decided to share their yearbook with the world. She noted that this decision does not change their coverage.
“We’re going to proceed as planned and people will just get a glimpse of what goes on in Parkland and Coral Springs.”
Staying true to their school
The Aerie was well into its chronological coverage of the year when a gunman killed 17 people at the school, 14 of them students.
“The spread for that week was Valentine’s Day. And now, we’re still keeping the Valentine’s spread, but at the same time, we’re adding in coverage,” said Lerner. “We have seven additional spreads now for all of the things that have occurred since the events on February 14.”
Their chronological coverage now includes the events of that day. It also includes what followed: a spread about vigils and memorials; a piece on students dyeing their hair in memory of the victims; a spread on the tattoos people are getting; coverage of the fundraisers, apparel and tweets; and the political aspect. They’ve added special coverage about returning to school and their first week back.
In a different section, the yearbook will include a profile for each of the 17 victims.
MSD Strong
Lerner has tried to instill strong journalism skills in the students she’s worked with over the years.
“Yearbook journalism is still regular journalism, even though it’s more feature than hard news. There’s always a story. There are always pictures to be taken,” she said.
Most of her yearbook staff started with the Introduction to Journalism class. They couldn’t leave the coverage of their school to outside sources.
“We have a story to tell and it’s our story. No one else will tell it better than we will, because we lived it,” Lerner said.
Despite this resolve, it’s still sometimes hard for the staff.
“I have a number of students who were in that building and in those classrooms. Some were very close with the victims. And it’s very hard trying to separate yourself and tell the story while, at the same time, you’re grieving and going through it. I’m working with them and we’re all working on stuff together, chipping in,” Lerner said. “When it’s too much for one person, another person helps out.”
A glimpse into MSD
When people outside MSD receive their copies of the book, Lerner hopes it conveys the pride they all have in the school – pride that was there before and after February 14.
“I hope they see how hard the kids have worked and how much love has gone into this book,” Lerner said. “I hope that they see all of the wonderful things that we do here, before the 14th and since.”
The yearbook shows a tragic moment for the school, but it also shows the resilience that came from that event. It shows a vibrant community before the shooting. It shows that, even after a tragedy, MSD is a school just like any other.
“We’re still here. We still have games going on. We’re still making the yearbook. There’s still going to be prom,” Lerner said. “We’re a very strong community and we’re not letting this stop us.”
See for yourself
If you’d like to purchase a copy of the 2018 edition of The Aerie, visit yearbookforever.com. Please select “other” when asked for a grade. The billing address will serve as the shipping address. Yearbooks may only be purchased through yearbookforever.com for those not directly connected to MSD.
Those affiliated with Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School should purchase their books through the school website.
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