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Illinois students healing 1 year after school shooting

MATTOON, Ill. (AP) - Illinois high school students are still healing a year after a teen shot a student in the cafeteria.

The Journal Gazette & Times-Courier reports that part of the recovery effort in Mattoon includes a community service work day Thursday.

Mattoon High School sophomore Rick Wright says it's a chance to give back to the community that supported students after the shooting.

High school junior Bianca Beltran says many students don't think of the day as frequently, but the scars still remain.

Police say a student brought a gun into the cafeteria on Sept. 20, 2017. A teacher grabbed the boy's arm as he fired at a female student. The gunshot missed the girl but hit another student.

The 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a firearm last month.

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Information from: Mattoon Journal-Gazette, http://www.jg-tc.com

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