WC_032218

winnetkacurrent.com sound off
the winnetka current | March 22, 2018 | 25
Social snapshot
Top Web Stories
From winnetkacurrent.com as of March 19
1. Young yogis in training: Glencoe woman
brings kids yoga studio to Winnetka
2. VIDEO: Hundreds of students call for action
during National School Walkout at New Trier
3. NSCDS joins schools nationwide for National
School Walkout protest
4. Girls lacrosse: New Trier looks to push Loyola
in first IHSA season
5. Winnetka boy the star of Glenview ‘Aladdin’
musical
Become a Current Plus member: winnetkacurrent.com/plus
From the Editor
How will you keep up the momemtum?
Jacqueline Glosniak
jacqueline@winnetkacurrent.com
Last week, students
from our communities
joined students
nationwide in protesting
against gun violence.
Every time, U.S. mass
shootings leave us wondering
whether anything
can be done to stop them.
Following the incidents
of recent years, how many
of us were shocked by the
suffering, took to social
media to share hashtags
and maybe voiced our
opinions at work or
school, just to retreat back
to the comforts of our
homes?
The students from
Florida decided enough
was enough. After their
horror, they not only started
a nationwide movement,
but are canvassing
their streets, urging their
legislators to make change
now.
No matter where we fall
on the political spectrum,
we can all agree school
should be safe places and
mass shootings need to
end. I applaud our local
students for choosing a
position on the issue, but
the real test will be what
they will do in these days
following the walkout.
The Village of Northfield posted on March 14:
“Public Works is soaking up the sunshine today as
they replace some broken sanitary sewer pipes”
Like The Winnetka Current: facebook.com/
winnetkacurrent
“Did you know there is such a thing as “electronic
sniffing dogs”? Last week, Interim Chief Marc
Hornstein attended the ILEAS Conference &
hung out w/ Cache. Cache is one of only two
electronic sniffing dogs in Illinois! #WinnetkaPD #K9
#TheMoreYouKnow”
@WinnetkaPolice, The Winnetka Police Department
posted on March 13
Follow The Winnetka Current: @winnetkacurrent
sTUDENT
From Page 24
welcome a shooter! Let me
fend them off. I got this.”
No, we all cowered in a
corner, imagining the what
ifs.
Am I in the safest possible
location? Who would
be shot first? Me or the girl
curled up next to me?
On March 14, I was
more terrified than ever.
Yes, I will always be
scared of a school shooting,
but then, I was scared
of our own potential. Or
rather, not living up to it.
For me, yesterday’s walkout
was a wake-up call.
Us teens come with an
agenda. And we come in
numbers.
As a society, we are very
critical by nature. People
often see these movements
as good, but flawed. As
well-intentioned, but not
enough.
Unsurprisingly, this is
a mindset many students
took on after the walkout.
While there was a lot of
chatter flying about the
school, there was one
question that seemed to
rise above the rest: What
was our purpose?
Some complained they
couldn’t hear the speakers,
but I would argue that
listening to speeches was
not our purpose. Others argued
that we took no steps
in changing legislation, to
which I would say was also
not our purpose. And finally,
students said the only
true change we can make
is with our vote, so what
good does a protest do?
We come with an
agenda, and we come in
numbers. I believe that
we marched to spread this
message.
I agree the most important
change you can make
is with your vote. But
sometimes, people need to
be inspired. These protests
did not change legislation.
They did not magically
cause the NRA to cease to
exist. But that was not our
purpose.
The purpose of the walkout
was to empower our
generation to be active and
vote, in the hopes of voting
in new politicians who are
ready to make a change.
The purpose was to
make each and every
student afraid of their own
potential. Scared of their
own power.
While there were critics
of the walkout, those that
thought it was flawed or
not enough, I was still
proud to see overwhelming
support and participation.
I can see the excitement
just by scrolling through
my Instagram feed, which
is flooded with pictures
and videos from the
walkout. The way these
images have spread across
all forms of social media
only emphasizes that youth
have taken over this movement.
As I have said, we come
in numbers, and so do our
Snapchat stories.
There will always be
more we can do. We often
take steps back as we take
steps forward. This walkout
was imperfect, but that
does not make it any less
of a success. On March 14,
students across the country
stood in solidarity with
the students from Marjory
Stoneman Douglas. We
came in numbers, and we
came with an agenda.
Our purpose? For every
single person marching,
supervising or watching
the videos from home to be
inspired by these protests.
To be inspired to vote, inspired
to become educated,
and empowered to stay
active in politics. Because
there is a lot of responsibility
on our shoulders. We
can make a change. And
it’s terrifying.
Sherin is a senior a New Trier
High School in Winnetka.
She is a opinions writer for
New Trier News and lives in
Wilmette.
go figure
An intriguing number from this week’s edition
900
The dollar amount in
fraudulent purchases spent
from a Winnetka resident’s
credit card account from
compromised information.
Read more in Police
Reports on Page 8.
The Winnetka
Current
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 Winnetka Current
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
their address and phone number
for verification, not publication.
Letters should be limited to 400
words. The Winnetka Current
reserves the right to edit letters.
Letters become property of The
Winnetka Current. Letters that
are published do not reflect
the thoughts and views of The
Winnetka Current. Letters can be
mailed to: The Winnetka Current,
60 Revere Drive Ste. 888,
Northbrook, IL 60062. Email to
jacqueline@winnetkacurrent.com.