The school was on a shortened schedule yesterday for SPUR (Supporting Peers and Utilizing Relationships). While most students usually approach it with a groan, this SPUR topic received a different reaction.

This SPUR was about appreciating the people in your life before they are gone. In response to the recent tragedies Coppell High School has faced, the community has become a family. There was an outpouring of homage to the students who passed away. Students embraced each other with love and showed their appreciation for the loved ones in their life.

The SPUR presentation was about making sure those feelings don’t fade and that those who weren’t directly affected by the deaths realize what it would be like to lose someone. The students watched a video that depicted three scenarios of relationships people usually take advantage of: their friendships, their teachers and their parents. There were shots of friends giving each other the silent treatment, students disrespecting their teachers, and teenagers being short with their parents.

The video asked, “How would you feel if those people were gone tomorrow? What words would be left unsaid? Would you have acted differently?”

The video also featured interviews with close friends of the students who passed away. They spoke of how their loss has affected them and called viewers to realize that everyone thinks “it won’t happen to me,” and challenged them to show the people in their life how much they appreciate them.

The video was impactful. It stirred an emotional reaction from the students as they sent “I love you” messages to people in their life. On Twitter, the hashtag #lovefest began circulating.

“It got my class thinking and really made an impact on us,” said senior Stephen Milligan.