blue water woman--summer 2018--YUMPU

T
hear them roar
They are women; hear them roar.
I recently asked five local high school students – four members of
the class of 2018 and one entering her junior year – to give me an
hour of their time on a Saturday morning, to chat about their recent
involvement in organizing a school walkout in early March in honor
of the victims of the Parkland, Florida, shooting, and then later in
March a community-wide gun control march that attracted between
500 and 1,000 people to downtown Port Huron.
Three hours after our conversation began, they were still hanging
out in my office. I don’t think any of us really wanted to leave.
For them, I hope it was an opportunity to reflect, a few months
after the fact, on what they had achieved in terms of learning how to
organize a community event successfully and also the importance of
speaking out and making sure your voice is heard.
For me, it was an opportunity to sit,
in awe, of five amazing young women.
They couldn’t be more different; they
come from all walks of life. Two of them
attended Port Huron High School and
three attended Port Huron Northern High
School.
When I asked them, at one point in the
conversation, what each of them hoped to
accomplish over the next five or 10 years
or even in their lifetime, Paige Cronce, at
16, the youngest member of the group,
answered very succinctly: “I think that
all of our careers are going to change lives,
somehow.”
Paige, I’ve got news for you: You already
have…you already have.
Below is a condensed Q&A of our
discussion. It was, for me, enlightening
and encouraging. It helped me believe that
there is, indeed, hope for the future.
BWW: So, how did all of you end up
being involved in organizing these two
events following the tragedy in Parkland?
Lily Hurtubise, PHH: “I remember
hearing about the school in Parkland and
it occurred to me that if that happened
here, someone sitting next to me wouldn’t
be able to graduate from high school. You
hear all the news about it, but I just felt
like, ‘Let’s do something about it. If the
Parkland kids can do it, we can do it.’”
Whitney Wilson, PHN: “Both my
parents and aunts are teachers in the district and just thinking I
could lose any of my family members at any time motivated me.”
Lucy Wickings, PHH: “I’m super into mental health and people
were saying, ‘It’s not guns, it’s mental health’…but it’s both.”
Katie Miller, PHN: “I helped organize the walk out, but the school
district was very clear it had to be about ‘honoring the victims’ and it
couldn’t be political…but our principal was very supportive.”
Paige Cronce, PHN: “I was angry that something like this was
becoming normal. It really motivated me to do something because no
one else was.”
Though two of the young women from the different schools knew
4 Summer 2018 BlueWaterWoman.com
by Patti Samar
from left to right: Katie miller;
paige cronce; lily hurtubise;
lucy wickings; and whitney wilson
each other previously – they played soccer together as kids – once
they individually approached their principals about organizing
some kind of supportive event, their principals directed them to one
another within their own schools and then, through social media,
they reached out to one another.
BWW: So, what is your take on the politicians who are now in office
and are empowered to take a look at these issues and enact change?
Are they inspiring to you or disappointing or do you think more could
be done? Do you see yourself as continuing to be politically involved
or possibly running for office one day?
Miller: “Just because they are in office, doesn’t mean they are
smarter than us. We are waiting to hear a voice and wanting someone
to tell us change is coming. We are obligated to go to school. To turn it
around on (politicians): You are just as obligated to make sure we are
safe in school. And the NRA (National
Rifle Association): You are the villain
because you won’t make sure people are
safe around guns.”
Wilson, who served as class president:
“I could see myself running for office
someday. But I have friends who literally
say they would not vote for a female
president.”
Cronce: “I’m definitely going to be
going to rallies and doing what I can to
create change.
Hurtubise: “By getting involved now,
we’re all putting ourselves in the perfect
position to be in leadership roles.”
But what about their male
counterparts? Though a couple of
the young women were able to name
one or two male classmates or males
at other local high schools who got
involved in organizing the events in
March, Hurtubise summed it up: “The
guys didn’t want to be in leadership
positions.”
Each young woman has vastly
different plans for her future, with careers
ranging from law school and teaching
to the business world of corporate
America. As they look forward, do they
see themselves and their counterparts in
a position of power? Do they have the
ability to make change?
Wilson: “Our generation is definitely
more liberal.”
Cronce: “Our generation is going to be the one with people in those
positions of power.”
And what about all of them? Do they realize what a Really Big
Deal impact they’ve had on their community? And, though most of
them are all more friendly acquaintances who share a common belief
system than BFFs, will they remain in touch as they leave the Blue
Water Area to pursue school and career dreams?
Wickings: “I like that I can say, ‘I knew her when…’ We are going
to be the start of something.”
I’d say they already are.