As Gwinnett County schools approached a five-day break this week, the mood was somber at Meadowcreek High School, as the recent deaths of three young people in the community hit close to home.
The body of student Susana Morales was found in the woods Feb. 6 more than six months after she went missing. That same week, another student, Rodrigo Floriano Mayen, was found dead — the medical examiner has not yet ruled on the cause. And Tuesday night, Jaeden Travis, 13, a seventh grader who lived across from Meadowcreek, but did not attend the school, was fatally shot outside his home.
Credit: Rosana Hughes/AJC
Credit: Rosana Hughes/AJC
Communities across metro Atlanta grapple with dangers their youth face. However, three unrelated deaths of teenagers in such close proximity is virtually unprecedented.
Walking home from school Wednesday, Gabriela Blair, a senior, said the mood at Meadowcreek has been different.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids keeping more to themselves than with their friends. They don’t seem to feel as happy as they usually do,” she said. Blair didn’t know any of the teenagers who died personally, but that kind of news has an effect, she said.
Freshman Jose Aguilar said the deaths make him and others not want to go to school. “But you just gotta go,” he said.
Meadowcreek’s campus sits on Steve Reynolds Boulevard, near Norcross, in the center of the county. People who drive by can see into the football stadium, where various sports teams play, practice and train year-round.
The Meadowcreek cluster is quick to celebrate its diversity. Kevin Wood, the Meadowcreek High School principal, said in a November school board presentation that 70% of students at some point took classes to assist with learning English. Of the more than 2,500 students who attend the high school, the majority are Hispanic.
Credit: ARVIN TEMKAR / AJC
Credit: ARVIN TEMKAR / AJC
As classes ended on a recent afternoon, Blair and Aguilar each said that violence in the community affects how safe they feel at school.
“It actually makes me feel scared. It’s my last year, and I never expected things like this to happen,” Blair said.
Students shared concerns about weapons in buildings and threats against the school and said additional security would make them feel safer. Blair said she wants to see more support staff, like counselors, available.
In a message to parents, Wood said counselors and social workers are present to provide comfort and support. “This sad news, coupled with the way some learned about it, may raise many emotions, concerns and questions from our school community, especially from some students,” he said.
Gwinnett school district officials declined to make school staff available for interviews.
Blair said teachers were encouraging students to seek help this week and was appreciative of that guidance. Aguilar and Bron Rodriguez, a sophomore, said they weren’t aware of the additional help.
Students were less certain about how to address violence and other negative influences that occur in the community. One student who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation mentioned gangs as a concern. Several spots near the campus that students pass on their way to and from school are tagged with graffiti.
Credit: Jenni Girtman
Credit: Jenni Girtman
Tarece Johnson, the school board chair and representative for Meadowcreek, shared a video of Morales singing and playing the ukulele on her Facebook page. In Spanish, she wrote, “I wish you comfort and healing,” to the family and friends of Floriano Mayen. She included the hashtag “stop the violence” with a news story about Travis.
“These incidents did not occur in our schools, however these students were a part of the community that is now mourning three deaths,” Johnson said. She also encouraged students to seek out mental health resources.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Johnson has organized events in recent months with local mental health professionals who answer questions from parents and encourage them to check on their kids’ emotional and mental well-being. They stress that factors such as the internet, pandemic and prevalence of violence at schools can combine for a harmful effect on youth different than past generations. The next event is March 15 at McClure Health Science High School.
Johnson also said the community must play a role in addressing violence and trauma.
“I hope all members of the community may work together to ensure the safety, security and humanity of each and every member,” she said.
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