By Madina Safdari (contributed to by Alexandrianna DeLaCerda, Tyler Kwon, Luis De La Torre, Ben Ramirez)
On Wednesday, March 14 Granada Hills Charter High School (GHC) students, teachers, and staff came together to say enough. Enough school shootings. Enough gun violence. Enough inaction.
After 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, GHC students wanted to participate in the national walkout a month following the shooting. Students were notified that the school would not condone students leaving class or campus; however, students and staff came together in the interest of student advocacy to plan alternative events for the day that would allow everyone to participate safely.
Through a collective effort, students, teachers, and administrators planned workshops throughout the day on topics like stress management, self defense, and how to get politicians to listen to their constituents’ concerns. At nutrition, demonstrators walked out to the football field to form letters that spelled out “#ENOUGH” and held 17 minutes of silence for each life lost during the Parkland shooting. During lunch there were booths for voter registration, memorial art projects, and representatives from state and local legislators, all while student speeches rang out in the quad.
It’s almost cathartic to look back at these photos and remember the events that took place. However, we shouldn’t get too comfortable because we know that our fight to end gun violence is far from over. Many members of the GHC community will also take part in the March for Our Lives on Saturday March 24.
We sincerely hope that our photos did justice in capturing the emotion, passion, and resolve that sits within each of these students who will undoubtedly shape our future. Until then, familiarize yourself with what change looks like below.
The marquee on Zelzah Ave. reads the message of the day. (Ben Ramirez)Student volunteers set up the outline of “ENOUGH” on the football field. (Ben Ramirez)A student pays close attention during a Stress Management workshop while showing her support with a single, powerful word. (Madina Safdari)Students await the arrival of other peers to join the walkout and moment of silence. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)Junior Kara Glaser is interviewed by Channel 5 news. (Madina Safdari)Students prepare for people to arrive during nutrition and encourage them to fill letters spelling “#ENOUGH.” (Madina Safdari)Social science teacher Lara Willig (left) and special education teacher Jordan Brummett (right), who participated in the demonstration, capture a selfie moments before the main event of the day. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)(From left to right) juniors Alexis Hopp, Kara Glaser, and Constance Chiang pose for a photo before the demonstration they helped plan began. (Madina Safdari)Parents also rallied outside of campus, showing their support for the student movement. (Madina Safdari)Seventeen empty chairs with orange ribbons lay open for the 17 lives lost in the Parkland shooting. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)Every one of the 17 empty chairs has an orange ribbon tied to it to raise awareness about gun violence. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)A group of friends anticipating being able to take part in the moment of silence. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)Students wait together for the letter “G” of “ENOUGH” to fill up. (Alexandrianna DeLaCerda)
Demonstrators sit patiently in different letters to spell out #ENOUGH,” waiting for the 17 minutes of silence to begin. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)A crowd of people lay on the football field for 17 minutes of silence signifying the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)Students lay in the sun on the football field during the 17 minutes of silence. The crowd took the silence seriously, appreciating the moment of memorialization. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)Students wielded posters bearing the #Enough slogan during the demonstration. (Tyler Kwon)During the moment of silence, a gong rang every 17 seconds memorializing the 17 lives lost at Parkland. (Madina Safdari)Anti-Bullying speaker, Keith Deltano, interacts with students, giving a fist bump for encouragement. (Alexandrianna De La Cerda)Alison Brettschneider answers a student’s question after her workshop on how to use social media to encourage change. (Madina Safdari)A crowd forms during lunch to listen to student speeches urging both changes in gun control laws and reducing gun violence in schools. (Madina Safdari)A representative on behalf of Assemblyman Dante Acosta has a conversation with staff during lunch. (Madina Safdari)A booth at lunch gave students the opportunity to write letters to the families of the victims of the Parkland shooting. (Madina Safdari)Students like senior Nishat Salsabil, pictured here, wrote letters expressing support for families affected by the Parkland shooting. (Tyler Kwon)Senior Benjamin Ramirez, one of the day’s student leaders, shares powerful words with students encouraging them to seek justice and fight to end gun violence in schools. (Luis De La Torre)A student applies orange paint in the shape of a heart on the face of freshman Shondress Grayson. (Tyler Kwon)Students participated in a workshop where they used meditation to release tension and learned techniques to alleviate stress. (Madina Safdari)In a workshop, students wrote letters of appreciation to people they care about the most. (Madina Safdari)Students, teachers, and staff alike wrote messages on ribbon and hung them to be displayed as a visual statement of our support for the student leaders in Parkland. (Madina Safdari)
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