Students at area schools chose not to participate in National Walkout Day by walking out of school for 17 minutes. Instead, they found ways to remember the victims of a Florida school shooting while discussing making positive changes in their schools.
A month before Wednesday’s events, 17 students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were killed when a former student opened fire in their school. Around the country, students at 3,000 schools walked out of their buildings for 17 minutes to stand up for changes in gun purchase laws.
At Clinton High School, students organized a Remembrance Day. Members of the Student Council and Rachel's Warriors read the names of the students killed in Florida.
Speaking at the Clinton Chamber of Commerce meeting the next morning, Clinton Central School Superintendent Dr. Steve Grimm called the ceremony moving and somber.
At Waterville, students kicked off Walk Up to encourage 17 days of kindness and inclusion by walking up to people who might feel lonely. The assembly featured the reading of names of the 17 Florida victims and a moment of silence.
Brookfield students used the Florida tragedy to research the various viewpoints of the issue of gun control and mental illness. After a short assembly students who chose to walked through town.
Superintendent Jim Plows said students will present their research at an assembly open to the community Thursday, March 29 at 7 p.m.