By Drew Jackson
Winton Woods City Schools
Forest Park—Snow was falling as students and members of the community gathered in jackets and scarves to honor the 17 students and staff who lives were lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. On this one-month anniversary, students united together in a 17-minute ceremony at Charlie Fredrick Stadium. At the beginning of each minute, a student shared a name, grade, and accomplishments of each student. Then released a balloon.
Seniors Taryn Phillips-Smith and Mark Davis organized the ceremony in their honor to help bring awareness about school safety. “When I heard about Marjory Stoneman Douglas, I began to do research on school safety and learned so much,” said Taryn Phillips-Smith. “I wanted other students to be informed as well. Several weeks ago, we went to the administration to present our ideas and received incredible insight on how to best utilize the day, and received approval and overwhelming support.”
At the beginning of classes, students used the public address (PA) system to share important facts related to school safety. During lunch periods, students showcased the “See Something, Say Something” program to inform students about practical steps to take related to school safety. There was also a presentation organized by Phillips-Smith and Davis that was shared during all lunch periods on more information about student safety.