Almost all of the Ann Sobrato High School students who participated, one way or another, in the April 20 National Gun Violence Walkout Day were not even born when 13 people lost their lives in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.
However, this generation of students wants their voice to be heard and an ultimate solution to be found that puts an end to gun violence, especially on school campuses.
“We wanted to do this today on the 19th anniversary of Columbine and we feel like not enough has been done since then,” said 18-year-old senior Zoie Wise, one of the two lead organizers for a town hall-style meeting held inside the Sobrato theater on Friday. “We’re still having shootings at schools that are just as bad as 19 years ago.”
Just over two months ago, 17 individuals were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a lone gunman opened fire on that campus Feb. 14. The suspect, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, a former student who had been expelled from the high school, has been charged with multiple counts of murder.
“I feel (the Sobrato student body) is cohesive, but there’s still a chance something can happen. It can happen anywhere,” Wise said.
Wise, along with schoolmate Amanda Sjolund, gave Sobrato students an on-campus option of civic engagement as they invited them to engage with panelists Mike Wasserman (Santa Clara County Supervisor), Larry Carr (Morgan Hill City Councilmember), Gino Borgioli and Mary Patterson (Morgan Hill Unified School District Trustees) and Claudia Rossi (County School Board Trustee).
“Personally, I was not able to participate in the full-day walkout so I decided to stay behind on campus and do something for those students who can’t leave school for whatever reason,” said Sjolund, a 17-year-old Sobrato senior. “We just want to make our schools and communities safe places.”
Sobrato Principal Courtney Macko and Superintendent Steve Betando assisted the students in organizing the civic engagement event inside the theater, which was packed with more than 200 attentive students who asked questions and listened to their elected officials.
“We have voices and we want our voices to be heard,” added Sjolund, who urged her classmates to register to vote in order to put the right people in office to make the necessary changes.
A similar town-hall discussion was simultaneously put on by Live Oak High School students, who were joined by panelists Caitlin Jachimowicz and Rene Spring, both serving on the Morgan Hill City Council, Donna Ruebusch of the MHUSD board and Vanessa Sandoval (Chief of Staff for San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez).
Different ways to take action
At Sobrato, Rossi told students to “reach out and use your power” to hold politicians accountable. Carr praised the school district for allowing students to advocate instead of forbidding it. Borgioli suggested taking the next step and going to their state legislature.
“I’m really here to listen and to learn from you,” Patterson said. “I want to know what you’re thinking.”
Before the town-hall meetings were fully underway, other Sobrato students began their march from their northwest Morgan Hill campus to city hall on Peak Avenue. Along the way, they met up with Live Oak High School students and any other local students who wanted to create a larger voice.
“I’m really sad because I feel like we need change and I don’t want any school to be the next victim (of an active shooter),” said 16-year-old Sobrato junior Karla Ureta, who held a sign with the message: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Kiana Nielson, a 16-year-old Sobrato sophomore, walked with a group of friends down Burnett Avenue to participate in the walkout, “because of all the school shootings going on…We need to restrict guns more.” Joining Nielson was 17-year-old Sobrato senior Nia Lyn, who said she was “on the fence” on whether she was going to walk out of school and take the unexcused absence for the day.
“I think it’s important to advocate for these people who died and advocate to help stop gun violence,” Lyn said. “I’m really surprised to see this many people walk out, but it’s going to help bring awareness to the problem.”
Senior Lauren Buckley, 17, helped organize the Sobrato Walkout and praised Principal Macko for assisting students in finding ways to foster civic engagement among students.
“I feel like, in order to lead an event, you need leaders from every social group in the school,” said Buckley, who associated herself with the theater and drama students.
This was the second time in recent months that students from local secondary schools participated in a national movement against gun violence with thousands of their peers throughout the country. On March 14, high school students at both sites organized a 17-minute ceremony to help raise awareness on gun violence and honor the 17 victims from Parkland.
