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8 | March 22, 2018 | The Homer Horizon NEWS homerhorizon.com Approximately 100 LTHS East Campus students participate in National Walkout Day Jacquelyn Schlabach Assistant Editor At 10 a.m. March 14, approximately 100 Lockport Township High School students at the East Campus left their classrooms and walked outside to the football field to gather together. The students were part of thousands of others from across the country to walk out of class to protest for stricter gun laws and pay tribute to the 17 people who died in the Parkland, Florida school shooting last month as part of National Walkout Day. District 205 Superintendent Todd Wernet sent out a letter to LTHS families on March 9 to make parents and students aware of the nationwide walkout that was to take place. In the letter, Wernet wrote, “Our goal in 2018 responding to walkout plans and other forms of peaceful assembly is to try and keep focus on teaching and learning while providing guidance and planning to support student and staff safety.” He said that East Campus Principal Dennis Hicks and Central Campus Principal Kerri Green were meeting with students to discuss efforts to join the walkouts. Freshmen at the Central Campus participated in a walk up, where they approached students who were alone, thanked teachers or just walked up to someone and were nice to them. “We will respect students’ rights to protest and have their voices heard with the expectation that it does not disrupt the school learning environment,” Wernet continued to write in the letter. Wernet encouraged parents SELL YOUR HOME Guide Call us today to reserve your ad! to talk with their children regarding the walkout “towards a positive outcome.” LTHS Director of Development & Public Relations Kim Brehm said the walkout went smoothly. However, she said it did not seem to have much of an impact on the students based on the turnout. Senior Natalie Lif said she was told there would be about 400 students participating, with only about 100 doing so when the time came. Although she wished there were more people, she said she was proud of the turnout. “It was the most peaceful thing I could really think of to get the attention of the people who can affect what we’re trying to change here, and a bunch of people at my school I knew were doing it, and I was like, ‘OK, well then I’ll participate, too,” Natalie said. SPACE RESERVATION DEADLINES APRIL 6 APPEARING APRIL 26 708.326.9170 | www.22ndcenturymedia.com Her mother, Robin, was proud of her daughter for walking out. “I wanted to know what she intended to do, and I wanted her to know that I would support her if she wanted to do it,” Robin said. “I encourage her to think for herself. I try very hard to not shoehorn her into my opinions. So, I wouldn’t say, ‘I think you should or I think you shouldn’t,’ but I said, ‘You know, sometimes if you believe something strongly, you gotta be willing to stand up and say so.’” Robin believes the walkout was a good approach to not only address the topic of guns, but violence, as well. She said young people are angry, frustrated and running out of patience, and that they need a place to express those emotions. “I was pleased with the way the school handled it, and I thought it allowed the kids to have a way to direct this into a productive path that allows to join into the national movement, which in turn got a lot of press, got a lot of attention, got the attention of people who maybe need to realize that possibly this is a moment where the tide is turning for certain topics for this country,” she said. Natalie was the only one from her class to walk out of class to join her peers on the football field. The walkout took place during a passing period, with second period ending at 10:13 a.m., and third period starting at 10:19 a.m. Students began to walk back inside at around 10:20 a.m. She, along with other students who participated, were marked as “unknown” for leaving second period, as well as being late to third period. Brehm said a letter was sent to faculty about what to do should their students walk out, directing them to Approximately 100 students participated in National Walkout Day March 14 at Lockport Township High School’s East Campus, heading to the football field, where the names of the 17 students who died in last month’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, were read in remembrance. Jacquelyn Schlabach/22nd Century Media give students an unexcused absence. Senior classmate Kira Henderson also participated in the walkout. “I decided to participate because I have very strong opinions on gun issues and school shootings and everything like that,” Henderson said. “I felt it was right, and it’s time for something to change, and so I decided that I had to. I didn’t have a choice.” Henderson said her dad supported her in her decision and said it was the right thing to do. “Even when I came home today and told him what I did, he was really happy, and I said that, ‘You know I might get in trouble,’ and he’s like, ‘It’s worth it because it made a difference,’” she said. “My dad’s very happy about this.” Henderson was marked “absent” for her third-period class for returning late. Faculty members, Principal Hicks, as well as some police officers, joined the students on the field to monitor the students and make sure nothing went wrong. As students were walking out of the school on to the field, a few were chanting pro-gun comments, saying “don’t take my guns,” according to Henderson and Natalie. The girls said it didn’t last long, and that those students quickly stopped. “I kind of assumed there would be people like that because, first off all, of course there are kids who are going to be like, ‘Oh, cool, I get to walk out of class early, I’m going to take advantage of this,’” Natalie said. “But I didn’t really know they were going to voice their opinion very loudly among this crowd of people who have the opposite thought of theirs.” One student was in charge of saying the names of the 17 people who were killed in the school shooting in Parkland each minute for 17 minutes. Henderson and Natalie both said from their perspective, the school handled the walkout well. “I think as far as staying neutral about it and letting us do it, I think they took the right measures of knowing kids were probably going to do this, and they had enough staff out there to watch us, and they checked our IDs when we went back into the school, so they did take safety precautions going back into it,” Henderson said. “I think they were very aware of it, and I think they did the best that they could to allow us to do this.” Students are currently planning another walkout to be held April 20, along with other students from across the country, according to Wernet’s letter.
homerhorizon.com NEWS the Homer Horizon | March 22, 2018 | 9 Out of sight Many area high school students participated in a national walkout March 14 but were largely kept indoors or demonstrated away from public view A total of 17 candles were lit as the names of the victims in last month’s Florida school shooting were read at the March 14 prayer service at Providence. photo submitted Students were not visible from the public right-of-way at 10 a.m. March 14 at Lincoln-Way West High School during a planned national walkout. James Sanchez/22nd Century Media Orland Park Police officers turned away cars at both drives at Sandburg High School during the walkout, as the school announced a closed campus while the students chose to hold their walkout on the school’s football field. Julie McMann/22nd Century Media “Do not enter” applied to those on foot, as well as vehicles, as Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 closed all campuses to the general public, including press, during the walkout. T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media Provi students choose to pray instead of walking out in protest Celtics honor those who died in last month’s Florida school shooting Submitted by Providence Catholic High School For 17 minutes starting at 10 a.m. across each time zone, students, faculty and supporters nationwide walked out of their schools to honor those killed in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Instead of walking out, Providence Catholic High School students walked to the school’s gymnasium for a prayer service for peace and healing to honor the victims of school violence and their families. The idea came from both the school’s student council and administration. School President the Rev. John Merkelis, Order of Saint Augustine, explained, “This was a way for the student body and our school community to come together and honor with the power of prayer the ones who lost their lives.” Merkelis led the prayer service for the victims to “mourn their loss and pray for guidance as we continue to seek a way to live in peace with one another.” Student leaders with candles led the student body from their classrooms in silence into the prayer service. Students and staff members processed into the gym holding candles that represented the students and teachers who died at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. A candle was placed on the altar as each of the 17 victims’ names were read, and a moment of silence was observed. Bob Spychalski BROKER •CustomizedMarketingCampaign •Freeprofessional&dronephotography •Strongonline&socialmediaexposure •5starZillowagent •FrankfortResident 630.728.8490 BOB SPYCHALSKI ILC 8509 0318 Visit us online at Homerhorizon.com
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