CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Tuesday was the first day of school for Uvalde CISD since 21 people were killed in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in May.
As a show of support to the Uvalde community, people around Texas wore maroon Tuesday, the primary school color of the Uvalde ISD.
Locally, many school districts showed their support for Uvalde, including Flour Bluff ISD, which took this photo in front of Flour Bluff High School on Tuesday.
“Seeing everyone doing it, and our picture from in front of the school, I was really proud,” said senior Lucy Anne Johnson. “People know we’re supporting them, and we want to do anything we can to let them know we’re praying for them and we love them.”
Flour Bluff High School principal Linda Medley said she was really proud of her students' response.
“I walked in and I just saw a whole wave of maroon,” said Flour Bluff junior Colin Hannigan. “I originally thought it was something small, but it was good to see everyone in student body participating.”
Medley participated in the district's plan to implement its maroon initiative. She said it was important to do and empathized with the Uvalde community.
“Unfortunately, these are things our students are hearing about, and our administrators and staff, we all think about,” Medley said. “We just wanted to surround them and let them know we love them and support them, even though we can’t be there.”
Medley said it was a small act, but she hopes it goes a long way.
“Hopefully it will reach our Uvalde community,” she said. “We have some ties to that community, with our staff, and we’re going to send it their way so they know they’re in our thoughts and our prayers.”
Across the city, CCISD campuses were supporting Uvalde as well.
At Carroll High School, the student council distributed maroon ribbons for students who might not have any maroon clothes in their closets.
“I think it’s just so great that our school has such a strong community to come together like this,” said Carroll senior Miranda Glidewell.
Junior Rodolfo Chavarria-Flores was wearing a special shirt Tuesday. His mother made it, and on the front it said “Uvalde Strong;” on the back it had the number 21 with a halo above to represent the 21 students and teachers who lost their lives in May.
“Those 19 parents, they’re never going to get to hold their babies, or tell them good night,” he said. “It’s a tragedy.”
At Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Tuesdays are typically “Bluesday Tuesday,” a day students and faculty wear school colors to share their pride. However, the university paused “Bluesday Tuesday” for the week, to instead wear maroon for Uvalde.
“We decided as a Texas school, and most of us here are Texans, to show our support on their first day back,” said Student Government Association president Luke Tschritter. “We thought it was something small we could do as students, and Student Government Association, to make an impact, and stand in solidarity with those students.”
Tschritter was impressed by how many people wore maroon Tuesday.
“It’s been one of the most amazing turnouts in kids wearing the same color shirt we’ve seen,” he said.
TAMUCC Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admission Maggie Cano wore a shirt Tuesday that said “Uvalde Strong.”
“I was going to do it on my own, I had already ordered the shirt,” she said. “Then, when the university announced it, it was nice to see we were going to do it as a whole.”
Cano has a strong connection to Uvalde — she’s from there, and still has family in town.
“My brother and nephew were at the school, so it’s pretty near and dear to me,” she said. “I talked to my brother today, he was having a rough time, happy to be there, but at the same time, it’s difficult.”
Cano was touched to see how many people on campus she saw wearing maroon Tuesday.
“It means a lot to see the community coming together, even though we’re three hours away,” she said. “It means a lot for my colleagues to be wearing it, as well as everyone else on campus.”
