SAN ANTONIO – The family of a child killed in the Uvalde school massacre came together with the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas on Saturday to celebrate what would have been her 13th birthday.
Amerie Jo Garza was 10 when a gunman entered Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. She was one of the 19 children and two teachers killed during the shooting.
Amerie was posthumously given the Girl Scouts’ highest honor, the “Bronze Cross” on Saturday.
"It makes me feel sad, but it makes me feel happy because I know that she would love to celebrate her birthday," said Amerie’s grandmother, Dora Mendoza.
Amerie’s family said celebrating her birthday annually has become a tradition. This year marks the first time they have held the celebration in San Antonio.
The Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas hosted the event, which featured fun activities and some of Amerie’s favorite things.
Stephanie Finleon Cortez, chief development and communications officer for Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, described the activities at the event, which included making friendship bracelets, playing with clay and painting on magnetic canvas tiles.
The party also included two murals for Amerie painted by other Girl Scouts.
Finleon Cortez said she hopes these girls can learn from the values that Amerie held.
“She just embodied so much of what Girl Scouts is,” Cortez said. “She was a friend to everyone — always friendly and helpful and considerate and caring, and those who knew her talk about her like that."
Mendoza said while the day brings mixed feelings for her family, she’s happy to see other Girl Scouts have fun in ways Amerie would have.
"I know that they’re going to take something with them, you know, about Amerie," Mendoza said, “We have to keep on with her name. Just keep on spreading her name, and don’t forget Amerie.”