Family members and friends gathered outside Columbia Secondary School in Morningside Heights on Wednesday for an emotional tribute to a 12-year-old girl who drowned on a class field trip to the beach one year ago.

Nicole Suriel drowned last year while swimming at Long Beach, where there were no lifeguards on duty.

Nicole's cousin, Orelbi Suriel, said the child's mother continues to struggle with her loss.

"She sees a picture of her, now she can be happy, but then seconds later she starts crying. This is just very hard," said Orelbi Suriel. "And her father, he's just being strong and trying to be there for the other two kids that they have, and just struggling to hold on."

Nicole's death prompted Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott to sign an emergency declaration that bans students from swimming when lifeguards are not on duty.