((PKG)) PARKLAND – PART 2
((Banner: A Family United))
((Producers: Beth Mendelson, Tom Detzel, Cliff Hackel))
((Camera: Esha Sarai, Gabrielle Weiss, Tina Trinh))
((Music: Roger Hooper, Lenny Williams))
((Map: Parkland, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Washington, D.C.))
((NATS))
((Road to Change Tour, Tallahasee, Florida – July 28, 2018))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
Hi. My name is Robert Schentrup, and I'm the older brother of Carmen Schentrup, one of the 17 victims of the Stoneman Douglas school shooting.
((Source: Schentrup family))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
I've realized that through the shooting, our family was destroyed, but it created a family of activism.
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
My sister Evelyn and I were in Tallahassee as part of the Road to Change tour. Having Evelyn there by my side allowed us to really bond and connect.
((NATS))
((Source: Schentrup family))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
Carmen's death catapulted me to be an activist because I realized that what had happened to her was just so preventable.
((NATS))
Being in Washington, and being right in the heart of American politics, and really getting involved in the nitty gritty of how American government works, is something that is really inspiring to me.
((NATS))
Initially after Carmen's death, my parents were extremely grief stricken. They couldn't leave the house.
((NATS))
((PHILIP SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S FATHER))
Carmen was on a journey of discovery, running a race against time to see how much of the world she could discover.
((Source: Schentrup family))
((PHILIP SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S FATHER))
She couldn't have known how little time she had. Carmen was artistic and loved music.
((NATS))
She enjoyed drawing, visiting art museums. She played piano, violin, guitar. We miss her music.
((APRIL SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S MOTHER))
As a woman of faith, I can say prayers have helped me find strength to get through each day and stand here before you. But, as a mother who mourns the death of one child and fights to protect the future of her two other children, I can honestly say that prayers do not feel like enough.
((PHILIP SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S FATHER))
If every parent took just five minutes and forced themselves, for five minutes, to think what life would be like if their child was shot and killed, there would be no more debate in this country because no parent could make it for five minutes. No parent would get that far.
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
After about two weeks, they slowly started coming out of that shock and grief and kind of try to figure out what's the next steps.
((Source: Broward County))
((Locator: Broward County School Board Hearing - July 24, 2018))
((PHILIP SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S FATHER))
Three months after the shooting, my wife and I stood before the board to call out the district for its complete inaction with regard to investigating the tragedy at MSD (Marjory Stoneman Douglas).
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
My dad has changed a lot and he got involved in activism. After the shooting, he realized that he doesn't have the luxury of allowing things to be the way that they are. You have to be the person that leads the charge.
((Locator: Broward County School Board Hearing - July 24, 2018))
((PHILIP SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S FATHER))
In less than one month, over 3000 students will return to MSD, an MSD led by the same administration that failed Carmen and 33 others, murdered or wounded.
((Source: Schentrup family))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
My mom was a principal at Pembroke Pines Elementary, which is in Broward County, for many years. And now, she's taken on a new role as the Director of School Safety, because she's always been such a strong advocate for children, and she just wants to make sure that all the young people in the county stay and remain safe. Raising three children has really motivated her to try and provide the best learning environment she can for children and so I'm excited to see her in this new role.
((APRIL SCHENTRUP, CARMEN’S MOTHER))
Volunteers as the visitors go to schools and they might notice something that is a safety concern. How do they report that and get action done immediately? Those are things that we need to look at.
((Locator: Stand with Parkland Meeting, Parkland, Florida - July 26, 2018))
((ANTHONY MONTALTO, PRESIDENT, STAND WITH PARKLAND))
You know, part of what we are trying to do is bring the experts together, right? Bring everybody to talk and bring them to where we can find consensus and then make a difference.
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
Tony Montalto has been very active in organizing all of the parents and family of the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting.
((NATS))
((ANTHONY MONTALTO, PRESIDENT, STAND WITH PARKLAND))
We've met under the worst of circumstances. We're all damaged and grieving. Yet, when we're together, we are able to find strength. It's the members of this group that understand the pain that each of us is going through. It's the most expensive club you'll ever join. The price of admission is exceedingly high.
((Source: Schentrup family))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
One guy with a AR15 walked into a school and instantly many people died, my daughter included.
((NATS))
((Locator: Washington, DC - March 24, 2018))
((DAVID HOGG, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
When people try to suppress your vote, and there are people who stand against you because you're too young, we say, no more!
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
It's been amazing to see the change that came out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting. At the march, seeing my friends and my sister’s friends come together to create a national movement and spark a conversation about gun violence prevention.
((NATS))
((EMMA GONZALEZ, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
Six minutes and about 20 seconds. In a little over six minutes, 17 of our friends were taken from us, 15 were injured, and everyone, absolutely everyone, in the Douglas community was forever altered. And my friend Carmen would never complain to me about piano practice.
((Source: Schentrup family))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
When I heard Emma say Carmen's name, it just sent a shockwave of emotion through my body because
((NATS – Gonzalez speech))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
seeing one of Carmen's best friends up on that stage
((NATS – Gonzalez speech))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
talking about the tragedy,
((NATS – Gonzalez speech))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
it was just a very emotionally powerful moment for me.
((NATS – Gonzalez speech))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
I think those six and a half minutes of silence are extremely impactful, because you could feel the awkwardness, the tension, how uncomfortable it was, because no one had any idea what was going on. And that's a very similar feeling to what those kids must have felt that day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. It was one of those moments that really made what happened very tangible and concrete. It gave me a lot of flashbacks of, you know, Emma and Carmen together at our house and going to the movies or another event or riding a bus back home.
((NATS))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
My sister and Emma Gonzalez were really good friends. And I remember back at Carmen's last birthday party, Emma had long brown hair, and compared to now with her head shaved, I honestly wouldn't have even recognized her.
((NATS))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
One thing that the shooting of Parkland and the death of Carmen taught me is that silver linings don't exist, that you need to create them yourself.
((NATS – US Senate office))
((ROBERT SCHENTRUP, MARCH FOR OUR LIVES ACTIVIST))
One person can make a difference. Activism has taught me that you alone can do so many great things if you put your mind to it. We've come together under this tremendous tragedy and banded together in a fight for a better future.
((NATS))
