Walking Out For Change

School shootings have dated back to the 1700’s when a gunman entered a schoolhouse in Pennsylvania and killed 10 children and the schoolmaster. As the years have gone on mass shootings have become more common, especially in schools. According to CNN, during the first 12 weeks of 2018 there were 17 school shooting incidence. In all 17 incidents there was someone who was hurt or killed.

Gun violence is an issue that hasn’t be resolved yet. Students decided to change their future through protests and walkouts students have decided to start changing the future. Since the Florida shooting there has been 2 organized events that highland students have participated in.

Students and teachers across the nation came together on March 14th to participate in a 17 minute walk out. The 17 minutes were to honor the 17 students shot and killed in the Florida shooting on February 17th. Most of the students who decided to walk out that day had a purpose. 10 days later many people marched from West High School to the state Capitol for “March For Our Lives.”

“I think that walkouts and protests are important because it’s a way for students who may not be able to vote to show that they are serious about an issue, and that they want to make a change,” senior Camille Whisenant said. “The United States has a long history of peaceful protest, and it’s really cool to see our generation joining in on that.”

A 16 year old girl named Lane Murdock found out about the Florida shooting and knew she had to do something to help. She then went and organized another nationwide all day walkout on April 20^th. This walkout will be different from the one on April 14th Students will walk out at 10:00 am and go to the pavilion at Sugarhouse Park. There will be two student speakers and musical numbers.

If students can’t attend the all day walkout they will be activities at the state capitol. There will be a voter registration, letter writing to politicians stations and a panel with one of the members of the Utah House of Representatives.

“I think that there will probably be fewer students participating in this one compared to the walkout on March 14th, but I hope that those who do choose to walk out are walking out with a purpose, and are making sure that they are taking that opportunity to participate in the stations that students have organized,” Whisenant said.

All of these walkouts are organized by students. Adults didn’t force them to start these protests; they did it because they want their voices heard, and they don’t want to be the next school targeted. The community has come together through these student led protests and will continue to.