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March 14, 2018 -- Frigid temperatures were no deterrent for more than 1,000 CH-UH students who chose to participate in the National Walkout Day on Wednesday. High school and middle school students walked outside at 10:00 a.m. to join the national movement to raise awareness for school safety and the impact of gun violence.
At Heights High School, more than 700 students participated in a demonstration on the snow-covered football field. The event was student-led and voluntary. Many of the student organizers spoke at the demonstration to remember the victims of Parkland, Florida, and to voice a call to action for stricter gun control.
The League of Women Voters was set up in the cafeteria to help high school students register to vote during their lunch period. The LWV registered a total of 88 students.
At the Delisle Options Center, students held a march around the campus to support students' right to learn in violence-free schools, (at left).
At Heights Middle School, more than 200 students walked to the athletic field at the back of the Wiley campus to hold their own demonstration similar to that of Heights High.
Even the CH-UH elementary schools participated in the day in their own way. Instead of walking out, elementary students were encouraged to “walk up” to others:
- Walk up to a student who sits alone at lunch and invite him/her to sit with their group of friends.
- Walk up to a new student, smile, and say “Hi!”
- Walk up to their teachers and thank them.
- Walk up to talk to someone whose appearance may be different from theirs.
- Walk up and talk to someone who has different views and get to know them.
The “walk ups” in each of the elementary schools were focused on the power of kindness and learning how much we really have in common with one another.
Canterbury Elementary took it a step further and held a Kindness Assembly for the whole school, discussing with students how they can change the world.