TUCSON, Ariz. — In remembrance of Christina-Taylor Green, the nine-year-old killed in the Jan. 8 Tucson shooting, students at Mesa Verde Elementary School painted stars in her honor today.
Green was a student at Mesa Verde when she was killed in 2011. This year she would have been a senior at Canyon del Oro High School.
"Although its a very challenge week and my daughter was taken on Jan. 8, its also a very happy time today. I'm really happy this is going on today because this is where her story began when we moved from the east coast to Arizona," said Roxanna Green, Christina-Taylor's mother.
Nine years ago, Katie Sutherland and Rebecca Shanks were among the loved ones that lost their best friend. Now in their first year of college, they said Green's memory lives on in the community work they do.
"When I'm walking around the college, I always feel like there's a part of me that she is with me. Everything I do, she's just always right there watching over me," said Sutherland.
Amphitheater Public Schools partnered with Stars of Hope, a national organization that supports communities during tragedies, for a remembrance of the then nine-year-old Green. Students from Mesa Verde, Cross Middle School and Canyon del Oro gathered to paint stars of hope.
"Being here its really crazy to see how young these kids are and to remember this is how old we were when we lost Christina. And its amazing to think of what all she could have done and now that she is doing it through all of the work that other community members are doing to keep her memory alive," said Shanks.
Some of the stars will be placed in her memorial park on Saturday, while others will go across the country to touch the lives of those affected by trauma.
