At National Signs, we are deeply connected to the communities in and around the Greater Houston area. That’s why we appreciated the opportunity to support the organizers of the Santa Fe Ten Memorial as they remember the third anniversary of the school shooting at Santa Fe High School.
On May 18th, 2021, current and former students will unveil a remembrance piece as part of the larger planned Santa Fe Ten Memorial to honor the eight students and two teachers who tragically passed away in 2018.
Phase 1 of the memorial will be unveiled in a ceremony on May 18th. The centerpiece of this phase is a sculpture called The Unfillable Chair that was created and designed by current and former Santa Fe High School students.
National Signs fabricated this piece, which will be installed near the ten remembrance trees that were planted at the high school on the first anniversary of the shooting. We are grateful that we could turn the students’ vision into a reality:
- The Unfillable Chair will stand over 8’ high.
- The empty seat will be 4’ x 3’ deep.
- The back will be illuminated with crossed arrows representing the Santa Fe mascot.
- The “X” shape of the arrows will create the Roman numeral for 10 representing the individuals who were lost too soon.
An important aspect of the Phase 1 unveiling is that it recognizes the students who were freshmen on May 18, 2018, when the events happened. These students would have been seniors preparing to graduate from high school this year. Incorporating these individuals into the 2021 Senior Class is a key part of forever remembering these students.
Then, Phase 2 of the memorial will be unveiled at a later time as part of the larger memorial project. In the next phase, each student or teacher will be represented by a feather, aligning with the visual elements of the memorial. The pattern and arrangement of the feathers will be based on their birthdays, the coordinates of each individual’s home, and other unique connecting factors.
Healing Comes Through Community Involvement
We believe it is the responsibility of everyone in the community to come together in support of the students, teachers, and families that were impacted by these events. As the calendar turns to May 18th each year, fresh hurts and pains understandably return to the surface. One of the best ways to support the healing process is through community outreach and support.
Our company is honored to play a small part in helping the organizers of the Santa Fe Ten Memorial design a memorial that remembers and honors those who died, and the countless other individuals who were impacted by the shooting.
The Santa Fen Ten Memorial Foundation is doing incredible work building a memorial that the community can be proud of and that balances the individual concerns of those affected by the events. We are confident that the memorial organizers genuinely care about achieving healing, remembrance, and unity.
– Watch this news story from KHOU Channel 11 in Houston covering the fabrication of The Unfillable Chair ahead of the May 18th dedication event.
– We encourage you to visit the National Signs Facebook or Instagram accounts on Tuesday, May 18th. We plan to go live on these social platforms during the Santa Fe Ten Memorial unveiling and announcement.
