Students denied Approval for National Walkout Day
In light of recent school shootings and gun-related incidents that have taken place around the country and left thousands grieving and in shock, students all over the United States planned walkouts on April 20, national walkout day and the anniversary of the Columbine massacre.
Juniors Mercy Guzman and Lily Smith had originally planned a walkout at Oxford High School on April 20 in order to voice their opinions on the arguments that are being presented throughout the nation before being denied administrative approval to do a demonstration or a walkout for 17 minutes to honor the 17 victims of the Parkland school shooting. According to Principal Bradley Roberson, the “Stand Up, Link Up” event that took place on March 28 served as the school’s demonstration, and more class time couldn’t be missed in order to hold another one.
“In my opinion, that [‘Stand Up, Link Up’] was the event to show, to serve as our walk-out or demonstration,” Roberson said. “I didn’t see the need to have another because we are at the end of April. It’s crunch time in school, and we need students to be in class as much as possible.”
Instead of doing the traditional walkout, the two have decided to instead post statistics on gun violence and have flyers printed with government officials’ names, numbers, and emails around the school.
“Our main goal with this project was to spread awareness on gun violence and show people why we need gun control,” Smith said. “We believe by plastering this information everywhere, we’ll still be able to achieve that goal. “
After the March for Our Lives, they wanted to continue the conversation in order to keep it from fading people’s minds.
“This conversation needs to keep going, so we’re just going continue doing stuff throughout the year until something happens,” Guzman said.
According to Guzman and Smith, they both realize that there are differing opinions about this subject, but they just want their message to be heard.
“If the school isn’t safe, if we don't get anything changed about gun safety in schools and all around the nation, then, you’re just not going to have students in school because we don’t feel safe in it so why should we be here?” Guzman said.
While their flyers and posts are bound to get negative attention from those with conflicting views, according to Guzman, many people may not agree with their views and methods because they may not understand their purpose.
“We shouldn’t be having this conversation between gun safety in schools and making stricter gun laws. I know people think that we want to take their guns away, “ Guzman said. “No, it’s your right. You should be able to own a gun. But, I’m saying you don’t need to own a whole machine gun out here because who needs a machine gun just to keep your household safe and things like that. Because all we want is more gun laws to make it stricter.”
The situation means so much to Guzman because she knows that her kids will possibly have to deal with the same problems as they go to school.
“Sooner or later, we’re going to grow up and we’re gonna have kids going to school and we shouldn’t be having these conversations with our own kids,” Guzman said.
Smith wants people to acknowledge that gun violence is prominent in the US.
“Gun violence is a major problem in America. This doesn’t happen in other countries, and there’s a reason for that,” Smith said. “Children are dying, and not just children, like Las Vegas, Liberty City. People’s lives are at stake. That’s not right. “
Smith and Guzman hope that their posters and work have a significant impact and get their message across.
“The most that I could honestly that I want it to have is us being heard and just keeping the conversation going,” said Guzman. “It’s going to be a lot of work, but even if it gets the memo, like “hey, we’re not gonna stop,” and people get that through their heads. “
National Honors Society holds induction ceremony
The National Honors Society held their induction ceremony for upcoming members on April 12 in order to formally recognize the students and their achievements.
The National Honors Society (NHS) recognizes students for academically achieving a 3.8 GPA, and once students are inducted, they have to participate in a number of service projects throughout the year.
“National Honors Society is a scholar society for juniors and seniors. It is nationally recognized, and it is also under the umbrella of National Association of Secondary Schools Principles (NASSP),” NHS sponsor Roxanne Wright said. “Students in our district are invited their junior year. Their GPA minimum is a 3.85. The expectation is that students will serve within their communities and serve within their schools.”
The National Honors Society is student-led with a president, a vice president, and a team of officers that are elected by members.
“It is their responsibility to schedule meetings, to be active on social media, to set their service project for the year.” Wright said. “They communicate as administrators on our social area, Schoology, that we use to push out information for meetings, push out information for ballots and elections, push out information for events that we’re participating.”
Along with other responsibilities, the president and others elected to positions have to come up with the society’s two mandatory service projects for the year.
“I hope to help people in the Oxford Community through fundraisers and drives but also make sure that I have some focus on Oxford High School students so we can improve their lives,” NHS president Olivia Rychlak said. “I, alongside the others that have been elected to positions, will come up with fundraisers and make sure we are benefitting others to our fullest ability.”
Members of the National Honors Society get the opportunity to participate in service projects, and it opens the eyes of students according to NHS vice president Jack Ligon.
“Gives everyone a chance to serve the community because it’s a lot of self-fulfillment,” Ligon said. “It makes you appreciate what you have and it will improve our community. Anything you can do will always improve your community.”
While Wright won’t be the NHS sponsor next year, there is one change that she would like to see implemented in future years: the introduction of a group of sophomores as unofficial members of NHS before they are formally invited their junior year.
“I would really love to have some pilot members from sophomores. Just to groom them, so they’d have an idea of what NHS is, even though they wouldn’t be formal members. Maybe they could be members that get a chance to shadow and see what the worth of being in this type of organization is go back and communicate that with their peers,” Wright said. “They would meet the grading criteria, but do an informal invite and allow them to sit in on meetings, allow them to maybe have an experience of going to one of our national conferences to get their feet wet.”