Growing up in Littleton, Colorado

I grew up in Littleton, Colorado, just a 2.2 miles from Columbine High School. Because I wasn't alive yet when the shooting happened, I was never directly affected by the horrible incident. But I still saw the marks it made on the community as I made my way through the school system in Littleton.

When my younger sister was in second grade she had a teacher who was in the shooting, Lisa Kreutz. She never talked about it with the students or anyone, for that matter. But it was still very much a part of her life. When I was in eighth grade I had a science teacher, Daniel Steepleton, who was wounded in the shooting. The first and only time I heard him talk about his experience was after there was a shooting at Arapahoe High School in 2013 (a high school nearby my middle school). All of the teachers gave a presentation to the students about being kind to one another, and how we can help each other out during such a difficult time. He told us how he was in the library when the two shooters came into Columbine, and how his leg was hurt. He then told us how for months afterward how kind and gentle everyone was to each other. Because Columbine High School was closed for a while, the students had to attend classes at their rival high school. He said that everyone was so willing to help each other get through this rough time, and they were so supportive of one another. When he finished telling us about his experience, he asked us to try to be kind to one another, and that he dreams of a perfect day when there's no bullying at school.