Page 9 - YellowJacket Summer 2018

Safety and Solidarity
from the Heart. by Susan O. Sojka, Principal
On February 14, 2018 seventeen students and adults Both of the events were voluntary and student led.
were killed in yet another school shooting, this one at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland Florida. Outraged by the number of school shootings, and inspired by the student survivors and their courage, students in grades 7-12 at The Gilbert School wanted to take action to honor the victims on the one month anniversary of the shooting.
Many schools throughout the nation were having “walkouts” but the students of Gilbert decided to organize two voluntary, non-political events to not only honor the victims, but foster safer schools.
Middle school and high school students gathered separately to remember the victims, share suggestions for positive change, and create cards of encouragement to send to the students in Florida.
The picture above shows our middle school students, administration, faculty, and staff gathered together in the form of a heart. Students also wore “Gilbert Strong” bracelets committing to banding together for safer schools.
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