On a bright October morning in Uvalde, Texas, the air was thick with emotion as the community gathered to open the doors of Legacy Elementary—a school built from both heartbreak and hope. Mariachi Los Coyotes, a group of students who themselves survived the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary three and a half years ago, played stirring music to welcome families, educators, and children to this new chapter. Their melodies echoed through the halls, carrying both sorrow and the promise of new beginnings.
The journey to this moment has been long and painful. On May 24, 2022, the city of Uvalde was forever changed when a gunman entered Robb Elementary School, taking the lives of 19 children and two teachers. The tragedy left an indelible mark on the small Texas town, and the wounds—both seen and unseen—are still healing. As Jesse Rizo, a member of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) School Board and uncle to victim Jackie Cazares, put it during the ceremony: “It is difficult because we recognize why this school was built.” According to Texas Public Radio, Rizo remembered his niece as someone who “made everyone feel loved and special,” and he emphasized that the love she showed helped inspire the creation of Legacy Elementary.
Families of the victims were given a private tour of the campus earlier in the week, a gesture meant to honor their loss and give them a first look at the space built in their loved ones’ memory. On October 10, 2025, the public was invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony where emotions ran high. Javier Cazares, who lost his nine-year-old daughter Jackie, stood in the courtyard and wiped away tears as he gazed at the school’s centerpiece—a steel, two-story tree sculpture. “There was a little girl in a dress (on the second floor next to the tree), and it just reminded me of my daughter,” he told Texas Public Radio. “It is a great school for these children. Sadly, it took the lives of our children to make this school happen. I’m happy these kids are going to enjoy this school for generations to come. I just wish Jackie could have been there.”
The symbolism of the tree is powerful and deliberate. Rising through the heart of the school’s courtyard, the sculpture features two large branches and 19 smaller ones—each branch representing a life lost in the Robb Elementary tragedy. Rizo explained that there are plans to add the names of the victims to the memorial, though the exact placement is still being discussed. “Somebody mentioned too that having QR codes would also be important,” he said, noting the desire to ensure that future generations remember not just the loss, but the people behind the names. “We know it because we live it, but 15 years from now it kind of fades, and so we want to make sure that people can click on something, and they can know about the children that ultimately paid the price for the building to be erected.”
Legacy Elementary is not just a tribute to those lost, but also a model for school safety and trauma-informed design. Tim Miller, executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, described the extensive security measures put in place. “You’ll see cameras throughout the building. There are door prop alarms, so if an exterior door is left open for a little bit of time an alarm will be sounded,” Miller told Texas Public Radio. Access to the building is strictly controlled: there is a single point of entry, and even after entering, visitors must pass a second level of clearance to reach classroom wings, usually escorted by staff. Each classroom wing can only be opened with a key card, and the windows—plentiful and intentionally designed for maximum visibility—are bullet resistant and coated with a tough film for added protection.
“There are many design components for the building that makes it very, very, very difficult for one to do anybody any harm if they were to get into the building. And windows are definitely part of that,” Miller explained. The abundance of windows serves a dual purpose: they create a bright, welcoming environment while giving teachers and staff clear sight lines in every direction, reducing places where someone could hide or cause harm.
The school itself is bright and full of color, a stark contrast to the somber reason for its existence. At the same time, the design incorporates trauma-informed features, such as calm rooms in the special education wing, to help children who may still be processing the events of 2022. According to Texas Public Radio, these design choices aim to create a safe and calming space that supports both learning and healing.
Building Legacy Elementary was a monumental effort, made possible by the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation. The nonprofit raised $60 million from businesses, individuals, and the state of Texas to fund construction. The project was guided by the input of survivors, their families, and the broader Uvalde community, ensuring that the new school would honor the past while looking toward the future.
The first day of school at Legacy Elementary is set for October 20, 2025, with 600 third, fourth, and fifth graders expected to walk through its doors. For many, it will be a day of mixed emotions—a step forward, but never a step away from the memories of those lost. Uvalde CISD Board President Laura Perez, who is also a nurse at the local hospital and witnessed the aftermath of the shooting firsthand, expressed her hopes for the new school: “We owe it to Irma, to Eva, to the 19 children, right? This is here because of them. So, build beautiful memories, tell the stories, and I can’t wait to hear the laughter in the hallways.”
Perez acknowledged that while Legacy Elementary is a beautiful school, the pain in Uvalde remains. “I think people think, ‘Oh, we’re moved on.’ We’ve moved forward, but we’ll never forget,” she said. The survivors, she noted, carry memories that will last a lifetime. “When I hear those children speak, I think (about) what they saw, what they smelt, what they heard. I mean, that’s forever. It’s forever because I know what I saw as an adult. I can’t imagine a kid going through that.”
As the ribbon was cut and the community explored the new campus, the playground rang with the laughter of children for the first time—a sound that many hope will come to define Legacy Elementary. For Uvalde, the school stands as a testament to resilience, remembrance, and the enduring power of community to rebuild, even after unimaginable loss.
