A makeshift memorial for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School victims stretches for acres - see the powerful mementos mourners have left

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is currently encircled by a massive makeshift memorial commemorating the 17 victims of the Valentine's Day shooting.

Over the last two weeks, students, faculty, families, and community members have brought flowers, balloons, and other mementos in droves to decorate the fencing outside the high school.

Students returned to classes on Wednesday for the first time since the massacre, greeted by hundreds of uniformed police officers and family members.

"We just wanted to make sure they know we are there and that they have our support," Jeannine Gittens, whose 16-year-old son attends the school, told Reuters.

"We feel for these kids so much," said Beverly Turner, another supporter who turned up on Wednesday. "We've seen them grow up, and us being there for them is the least we can do."

Here's what the memorial outside the school looks like: