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LakeForestLeader.com SOUND OFF
the lake forest leader | March 22, 2018 | 15
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From LakeForestLeader.com as of
March 19
1. Lake Forest women, police tackle self
defense
2. LFHS students participate in National
School Walkout, continue momentum to
seek change
3. Team 22: Boys Basketball
4. A Look Into History: Founding of RKO
Studios connected to LF, LB
5. Police Reports: Series of car burglaries
strike Lake Bluff
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LakeForestSD67 APT and @Spiritof67LF
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go figure
17
An intriguing number from this week’s edition
Lake Forest High School
students participated in the
National School Walkout for
17 minutes, Page 3
From the Editor
LFHS students take control during powerful week
Alyssa Groh
alyssa@lakeforestleader.com
There is no doubt
that my favorite
part about my job
is having the luxury to
be able to get out into the
community to attend a
variety of events.
Last week was one
of the best weeks in my
career thus far. I spent a
majority of my week with
the young adults at Lake
Forest High School who
took charge in a series of
powerful events.
The week kicked off
on March 14 with the
National School Walkout,
as seen on Pages 3-4 of
this week’s Lake Forest
Leader.
The National School
Walkout had been talked
about for weeks and there
had been a lot of anticipation
regarding the event.
The walkout, which was
intended to remember the
17 lives lost in the Parkland
shooting last month
and to protest gun violence,
has been immensely
covered by the press and
talked about all over the
U.S.
Each school on the
North Shore handled the
school walkout differently.
While most schools did not
organize the event, many
were heavily involved with
the day.
At Lake Forest High
School, students who
participated in the walkout
stood on the front lawn of
the school, while students
who did not participate
were asked to remain in
the commons. The media
was not allowed on school
grounds, but that did not
stop me from attending the
walkout.
I stood on the sidewalk
and watched as students,
by the hundreds, filed out
of the school at almost
exactly 10 a.m.
While no one was exactly
sure how the walkout
was going to go, I stood
there and observed.
Students came out and
stood on the front lawn for
17 minutes in silence.
Although I was yards
away from the students
who walked out, it was
still incredibly powerful to
witness.
Lake Forest High School
students carried themselves
in such a professional
manner. The students came
together to remember the
lives lost in Parkland,
while also standing against
gun violence.
To see the students
come together and use
their voice on such a big
and important matter was
incredible.
As if it wasn’t a powerful
enough day to watch
students take stand for an
important issue, I returned
to the school the following
day for a TEDx event,
as seen on Pages 17-19 of
this week’s issue.
Students and teachers
gave speeches on
important issues, such as
recycling, food waste, the
importance of literacy,
mental health and mindfulness.
As I sat there for a majority
of the day listening
to students give memorized
and well thought out
speeches, I couldn’t help
but be impressed.
You could tell how
passionate the students
were about each issue they
talked about.
They spoke using emotion
and sincerity.
No matter the topic
being talked about, after
the student finished his/her
speech, you felt as though
you wanted to help them
make change to recycle
more, or to keep reading
because literacy is important.
But there were two
speeches that stuck with
me the most.
One teacher spoke about
how six years ago he
walked into a classroom
where his students had
just learned one of their
classmates had committed
suicide.
He spoke about how he
and his students dealt with
that and how they came
together to grieve the loss
of a student.
He shared his own
struggles to overcome
obstacles in his life and
how he learned to cope
with them.
He told the audience
he learned how to handle
stress through mindfulness
and encouraged others to
try mindfulness.
He also told students
how important they are
and how their lives are
worthy, which I think is
important for everyone to
hear frequently.
To end the speeches
was Tessa Kerouac, who
spoke about her struggle
with mental illness.
About a year ago she was
diagnosed with Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder and
took three weeks off to get
therapy.
Her story was empowering
and she really conveyed
her struggle with
OCD, but more importantly
how going to therapy
helped her to cope with
OCD.
She spoke about how
you shouldn’t be afraid
to attend therapy and you
shouldn’t be ashamed to
tell people you have a
mental illness.
And man, did I feel it.
The whole room felt it.
She really put herself out
there and the audience listened
intently and cheered
for her.
He story was powerful
and I am sure it helped
many other students who
may be struggling with
something to feel confident
to reach out for help.
It was a powerful week
at LFHS and I know these
students will make a difference
in the world.
The Lake Forest
Leader
Sound Off Policy
Editorials and columns are the
opinions of the author. Pieces
from 22nd Century Media are
the thoughts of the company as
a whole. The Lake Forest Leader
encourages readers to write
letters to Sound Off. All letters
must be signed, and names and
hometowns will be published.
We also ask that writers include
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for verification, not publication.
Letters should be limited to 400
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reserves the right to edit letters.
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Lake Forest Leader. Letters can
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Leader, 60 Revere Drive ST
888, Northbrook, IL, 60062.
Fax letters to (847) 272-4648 or
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