'Designs for a new elementary school in Uvalde unveiled.'

The plans include tree branches symbolizing those who died at Robb High School. On April 12, 2023 at 2:48 p.m. in Uvalde, Texas, Lalo Diaz Jr. reminded a small group of people that their community is "known as a city of trees" when the Uvalde Moving Forward Foundation announced its new plans and design scheme for the elementary school.

Diaz, a representative of the Uvalde CISD Community Council-Committee, said Tuesday that when a new elementary school is built in the community, an important feature will be a tree with 21 branches - one branch for each person who died at Robb School on May 24, 2022, during the mass shooting. Two branches will be larger than the others and they will symbolize the teachers who died, Irma Garcia and Ava Mireles.'''Nineteen more branches will forever remember every child who died in fourth grade that day last spring.

Diaz said the trees show "strength and stability." Robb School, which has been closed since the shooting, will be demolished.

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This is a series from ABC News about the Uvalde community and how it is coping with tragedy.

The committee worked with the Moving Forward Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to build a new elementary in the school district. The committee, made up of educators, parents and other community members, was formed,''realized that the final site selection would be beneficial because it borders Dalton High School and therefore students would be able to share academic facilities.

The proposed school will consist of three buildings: an academic building with a library, dining hall and gymnasium. The committee was inspired not only by the native oak trees found in many Uvalde neighborhoods, but also by other elements specific to Uvalde, including Texas sunsets, monarch butterflies migrating through town, and honey production. Each of these elements will influence the color scheme at the school to be "fabulous, kid-friendly," according to the committee. "One day I will talk to my children [when they grow up] and explain how their beautiful school came to be," said''Arias ABC News.

The committee will present the design scheme for approval at the school district board meeting on Monday, April 17.