Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School create children’s book series to teach safety and empower young readers
Coral Springs, Florida – For a group of seniors at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, entrepreneurship this year became something far more meaningful than building a business plan or learning how to market a product. It became a deeply personal mission — one shaped by memory, resilience, and a shared determination to help younger children feel safer in a world that can sometimes feel uncertain.
Through their Junior Achievement entrepreneurship class, students created Think Safe Children’s Books, a fully student-run company that has already produced two illustrated titles focused on safety education. The books are written in simple language and paired with colorful drawings designed to make difficult topics easier for young readers to understand without overwhelming them.
The effort comes as the community reflects on the passage of time since the tragedy that forever changed the school and its surrounding neighborhoods. Eight years have now passed since a shooting claimed the lives of 14 students and three staff members — an event that continues to shape how many students think about safety, responsibility, and the power of preparation.
For senior Isabella Cox, who serves as vice president of brand management for the student company, the project is about transforming shared pain into something constructive.
“This is something that’s impacted all of us,” said Isabella Cox, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland. “We wanted to find a way to make these conversations easier for younger kids — and less scary.”
That guiding idea helped shape the direction of the entire project. Instead of focusing on fear, the students chose to frame safety through themes of teamwork, calm thinking, and confidence. Their books aim to teach practical steps while reassuring children that they are not alone in difficult situations.
The series, titled The Safety Squad, includes two published books so far. The first, The Safety Squad: Safe and Sound, follows a young girl named Michelle as she experiences a school lockdown. In the story, a superhero and a loyal super dog appear to guide her through what to do step by step, explaining safety procedures in a calm and reassuring way.
The second book shifts to a different but equally important topic — stranger danger. Using the same friendly characters, it teaches children how to respond if approached by someone unfamiliar who claims to have permission to pick them up. The story emphasizes awareness, clear communication, and seeking help from trusted adults.
The books are aimed primarily at elementary school students, with creators intentionally designing them to fit easily into classrooms, libraries, or even bedtime reading routines at home.
“You don’t sit down with a five-year-old and explain what a school shooting is,” Cox said. “But you can teach safety in a way that doesn’t frighten them.”
Behind the scenes, the project has functioned like a real business operation. About 30 students participated overall, with an 11-member leadership team handling responsibilities ranging from finance and marketing to sales strategy and branding. Every step — from writing and illustration to production and promotion — has been managed by students themselves.
The team has already taken their work beyond the classroom. They have sold books at the Parkland Farmers Market, partnered with local libraries to expand access, launched an online presence, and are working to make their titles available through Amazon. Their first print run included 250 copies of the lockdown-focused book, and they now plan to expand production significantly, with about 1,000 copies of each title expected in upcoming weeks.
For many students, however, the project’s most meaningful element is not sales numbers or business success — it is the personal connection embedded in every page. Each book contains a dedication honoring the students, teachers, and families connected to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as well as the wider communities of Parkland and Coral Springs. The dedication recognizes the unity and compassion that emerged in the aftermath of tragedy and continues to define the community’s spirit.
“If we could save one child’s life with one of these books, then we’ve made an impact,” Cox said.
“Our stories aren’t about fear,” the dedication reads. “They’re about courage, teamwork, and the kindness communities show when they support one another.”
As the students prepare to graduate, their work stands as both a business achievement and a symbol of something larger — a generation choosing not to be defined solely by loss, but by what they build afterward. Through simple stories and gentle lessons, they hope their message will reach classrooms and homes far beyond their own community, carrying with it a quiet but powerful goal: helping children feel prepared, confident, and safe.
