ST. LOUIS — Tuesday was a day of reflection and remembrance one year after two people were killed and several others hurt during a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School.
There were no classes on Tuesday at CVPA and the neighboring Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, so students and staff could focus on healing.
A former student walked into the south city school on Oct. 24, 2022, and opened fire, killing sophomore Alexzandria Bell and teacher Jean Kuczka before police killed him.
Seven other students were physically hurt.
Everyone on campus that day is still working through the trauma. Each one moving forward at their own pace.
Antoinette Toni Cousins was St. Louis Public Schools board vice president at the time and she was on the way to a police funeral on the morning of the shooting. Her husband is a St. Louis police officer.
She heard a call on the radio about a shooting at CVPA. Their cars quickly turned around, heading towards the school's direction. That's when she witnessed the chaos.
"We arrived and instantly I said, 'Where do you need me?'" Cousins said.
That's when police told her to help with crowd control.
Cousins quickly stepped in and her leadership went beyond that day. At the time, their focus as a school board was to assist in any way.
"Making sure mental health was needed, whatever resources needed to be there and ensuring those pieces were being executed quickly," Cousins said.
Cousins is now the board president and has seen the changes within the last year, from additional counselors to new security measures in place.
St. Louis Public Schools said it spent an extra $2.5 million for additional video surveillance, intrusion alarms, specialty doors and windows, along with more security officers paired with extra training.
The district hired an additional 30 security officers following the shooting, but it was part of the district's normal hiring process.
The district also spent money changing the way the CVPA building looked inside, so it wouldn’t look the same way it did when students and staff returned.
Fresh faces with a fresh perspective joined, too.
"We went from a new superintendent, a new principal at CVPA, and new board members so there were a lot of transitions going on," Cousins said.
The new superintendent and principal started on July 1.
Superintendent Keisha Scarlett came to St. Louis after serving Seattle Public Schools for 24 years. She already has seen the constant training among their security officers and systems.
Scarlett explained emergency operation plans were created for all school buildings. She is ready to gear students in the right direction.
"I became aware of St. Louis Public Schools unfortunately because of the shooting. I was glued to my television and I’m always transfixed when it happens. Days later, a school shooting happened in a high school at Seattle Public Schools. CVPA has a special place in my heart, it was a connection point for me," she said.
Scarlett said she welcomes students to heal however they see best.
"Our children know different ways to heal themselves and our job is to help them explore," she said.
She's even visited their classrooms this year, seeing several students use art to be their voice.
"I saw those people moving and how their art was healing them," Scarlett said.
While she's new, she's already building bonds.
"I have come to spend time with educators (and) with students spending time to listen to them. It’s a beautiful school community, even in the hard time of pulling together, it’s what most important for us as a district," Scarlett said.
Cousins believes the changes have been positive.
She acknowledges the work everyone has done and will continue to do.
"What stands out more than anything is the resilience of the school (and) the staff. What I know will happen is we won't stop. We will continue to rise and fight for the betterment for all, including our children," Cousins said.
Cousins also shared a message to parents and leaders.
"This is something Alexzandria's mom said to us: We do need to listen to our children. Mental illness is real, our children are hurting and we have to get out of their way and we have to listen," Cousins said. "After we listen, we have to do something about it and that’s what I hope change will be."