WEST ORANGE, NJ — One by one, students at West Orange High School read the names of the students and faculty members who were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14 in Parkland, Fla. They shared about each student, their hopes and dreams that would not be fulfilled. And they said: Remember them.
Remember Alyssa Alhadeff, 14; Scott Beigel, 35; Martin Duque, 14; Nicholas Dworet, 17; Aaron Feis, 37; Jaime Guttenberg, 14; Chris Hixon, 49; Luke Hoyer, 15; Cara Loughran, 14; Gina Montalto, 14; Joaquin Oliver, 17; Alaina Petty, 14; Meadow Pollack, 18; Helena Ramsay, 17; Alex Schachter, 14; Carmen Schentrup, 16; and Peter Wang, 15.
Nearly 1,800 WOHS students — out of approximately 2,000 — stood on the field at Suriano Stadium in somber respect to honor their peers killed in the Parkland shooting. Student organizers worked for two weeks to put together the 17-minute memorial and chose to focus on the victims of the attack that took the lives of three teachers and fourteen students just one month earlier.
“I completely support our students who participate in the March 14 walkout,” Superintendent of Schools Jeff Rutzky said in a March 13 statement. “Our goal is to support the students’ rights of free expression while ensuring their safety. It is an opportunity to raise awareness and hopefully stop the tragic gun violence that has taken place in schools for far too long. The West Orange Police Department and West Orange Public Schools have formulated a plan that will permit students in grades 6-12 to express their feelings as part of the national student walk-out, while respecting other students who prefer to remain inside the schools during the walkout. The students who do not walk out will be in a supervised location within the school. If a student chooses to participate in the walkout and returns when the 17-minute walkout concludes, it will not be considered a cut or absence from class. Elementary students in grades PreK-5 will not participate in the walkout or any form of demonstration.”
In order to foster continued dialogue, Rutzky also said that students would discuss the walkout in their social studies classes.
“Originally we wanted to hold the walkout on the soccer field, but that wasn’t possible with the snow,” WOHS Principal Hayden Moore said. “Mr Rutzky and Ron Bligh, our athletic director, were extremely supportive and didn’t hesitate to have Suriano Field plowed for the students. And with the large turnout for the walkout, we needed the extra room.”
“One of our student organizers teared up when they heard that Suriano Field would be plowed so the walkout could take place,” teacher Jennifer Dahl, who worked with students to help them achieve their vision for the walkout, said. “In 12 years, I haven’t seen this kind of passion in our students.”
Ten student organizers worked during their lunch period for two weeks to ensure that the memory of the victims was not lost. Dahl provided them with boundaries and students worked to make the event thoughtful and impactful.
“This was so important to the students,” Dahl said, “and it was an honor for me to work with them.”
“There was a lot of Mountaineer pride today,” Moore said. “I am so grateful to Ms. Dahl, Buddy, our groundskeeper, and to our faculty and staff for supporting the walkout. I am proud of our students too. They honored this moment in history with respect. I am proud to be their principal.”
A walkout for gun control is planned for April 20.
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
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