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Students seek change

Youth respond to school shootings

By WCP Staff


Students at thousands of schools throughout the United States spoke out against gun violence in schools Wednesday.

The walk-out was held one month after the Feb. 14 killing of 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Locally, students participated in gatherings at high schools in Waupaca, Weyauwega and Iola.

Waupaca
At Waupaca High School, more than 100 students walked out of the school at 10 a.m., carrying signs.

Sophie Butkiewicz, a WHS senior, described the Parkland tragedy to more than 100 students gathered outside the school’s rear entrance.

“There’s been countless others before that and I’m sure there are countless others to come,” Butkiewicz said, regarding school shootings. “This is all about students taking a stand and voicing their opinion to say that we have had enough of this violence. We’ve had enough of being scared to go to school.”

She noted that while the possibility of a school shooting in Waupaca is slim, it could happen anywhere.

“We’re at the same level of risk as everyone else,” Butkiewicz said.

WHS senior Rachael Luedtke said the purpose of the student walkouts was to let lawmakers know that people, especially young people, are paying attention to the issue.

“There’s been so many shootings that have been happening recently that they all kind of bleed together, but we cannot become desensitized to the tragedies that are happening in our country,” Luedtke said.

Butkiewicz said that people have different ideas on how to solve the problem of mass shootings at schools.

“And that’s totally fine,” she said. “The only way we are ever going to end this, truly, is if we come together and work together and come up with a compromise and take into account our different perspectives.”

Weyauwega
In Weyauwega-Fremont High School’s gym, Twyla Alix read the names of the 17 people killed one month ago in Parkland, Florida.

About 60 of her peers joined her there, as well as some teachers,

Alix is a sophomore and had already been talking to her classmates about the national student walkout day and posting information on social media.

Rena Tomaszewski, a physical education teacher in the district, asked Alix if she wanted to speak at the high school’s planned walkout activity.

“I decided to do it because I think it’s an important topic that should be brought up in all schools no matter how small your school is,” Alix said.

Alix acknowledged the reasons students participated in it varied.

Some would like to see gun control.

Others wanted to remember the victims of the Feb. 14 shooting.

“Something needs to change, and it all starts here,” Alix told them.

She encouraged them to talk about the topic with their families, peers and the district’s administrators.

After she spoke, students and teachers spent the rest of the 17 minutes sitting quietly in the gym.

Alix said it was to be a moment of reflection to honor those who died that day and for those throughout the country who have been affected by gun violence.

When asked what is the first school shooting she remembers, Alix said, “Sandy Hook. I think it is the first one we were exposed to when we were kids.”

She was in fifth grade when that shooting took place in December 2012.

Since last month’s shooting at a school in Florida, students leaders have emerged.

What is happening in schools across the country is important, Alix says.

However, she wants to see legislation change.

“It’s a lot harder to have things happen when there’s a law,” Alix said.

A shooting at school is on the minds of many students.

Within weeks of the shooting in Florida, there were two fire drills in one day in this school district.

Alix said when the second drill happened, many students and teachers stopped and listened before participating in it, “because that is how it happened in Parkland.”

She said the possibility of a school shooting is something in the back of all their minds.

When discussions began about the walkout, some students told her they were afraid of getting shot while being outside protesting.

With the district deciding to have those wanting to participate go to the gym, some students were still afraid, Alix said.

When Alix sat in silence with the others gathered in the high school gym, she thought about how for those impacted by last month’s shooting, the 17 minutes of time would be more difficult.

“I was thinking about them and how their lives were changed in a matter of minutes,” she said.

Iola
Iola-Scandinavia High School Student Council organized what they called 17 Minutes+ for 17 on Wednesday, March 14 in honor and recognition of the victims of last month’s violence in Parkland, Florida, where 17 lost their lives.

Instead of walking out, all students and staff in both the middle school and high school reported to their designated classrooms, made up of 17 students, for discussions led by student council members on the positive aspects of the school district and the community.

“We thought we should focus on the positive,” said Terrell Bonnell, advisor. “We wanted this to be a vehicle for change in our school district.”

Students discussed such things as what they liked about school, the kind things they see and what they can do to make it better.

Their message was quite clear, that Iola-Scandinavia is a great place, but there are little things can make a difference.

“Smiling can go a long way,” said Isaiah Hoyord.

“If you cannot say or do something nice, try harder,” added Brock Opperman.

Following the small group activities, students gathered in the auditorium where each group could briefly shared their discussions.

District Administrator Ray Przekurat, School Counselor Caitlin Young and Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel shared their support and commended the students this activity.

“I am an alumni of Iola-Scandinavia and am proud to say this is a great school,” said Hardel. “It was great to see you all keeping this positive.”

Hardel pointed out three important steps in keeping schools safe.

“The first is to stop the bullying,” he said. “The second is to pass on information. I would rather things get passed on a 100 times and it be wrong, than go one time without hearing information and there be a tragedy.”

His final step would be School Resource Officers in our schools.

“Having an officer within the school usually makes it easier for students to talk to them,” he said.

Przekurat began with a moment of silence for the 17 lives lost in Florida and reminded the students that he is always available for them.
“I have a little office right here in the school now,” he said. “My door is always open.”

He told students about the new ReportIt program that can be used to report issues, both good and bad by the community and students.

“It’s not about getting people in trouble,” said Young. “It’s about helping to keep everyone safe.”

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