On Wednesday, the one-month anniversary of the Parkland, Florida school massacre in which a student killed 14 students and three teachers, students across the nation participated in memorial events, walkouts, protests, and kindness initiatives.

Each school had the ability to tailor the day’s events to fit their schedule, their needs and the desires of their student body. Kindness initiatives spanned the grade levels, with a greater emphasis being placed on inclusion and acceptance. Monies were raised for the victims’ fund for Parkland as well as for the non-profit organization, March For Our Lives, with Park View Middle School donating $450 and Western Hills Middle School donating $400 to March For Our Lives and Hugh B. Bain Middle School donating $300 to the Parkland Victims’ Fund.

At West

At Cranston West, student organizers led a peaceful walkout and memorial, which lasted for 17 minutes during advisory period in the day’s schedule.

Students were not deterred by the frigid temperatures or the newly fallen snow, some noting that they were grateful that they were alive to stand outside in such weather, very aware that the most recent school shooting victims, their peers in Parkland, were not as lucky.

Many wore white as a symbol of peace and hope. Some students held signs which asked for better gun control or which simply stated the sobering fact, “It could have been us.” The students paraded outside quietly and stood silently for 17 minutes as one Parkland victim’s name was read off every minute. At the end, two of the student organizers each gave final comments before the students returned to the building to resume their day. Senior Charles Pisaturo stated, “In this world, nothing can come close to amounting to a human life. Life is incredibly important, and 17 were abruptly ended after the Parkland shooting on February 14. We stand here not to argue, not to cry anymore, not to fight, but to demand action. Too many lives have been lost, and I think we can agree that something needs to happen. Something positive. To be a student and have your life cut short at the hands of violence is an incomprehensible circumstance, and we hope to end that. Let us mourn the losses of these students and the countless lives before them, and unite together to order a change.” Sophomore Vy Ho also expressed her thoughts. “As students, we can all come together and say, ‘We’ve had enough.’ Enough lives taken, enough fear instilled in our families. We have been terrorized by our own for long enough. The time to take action is now. This issue is becoming one of common sense.  We will not wait for more lives to be taken. Though change may not be evident in the near future, it will create a ripple for our future generations. Do not underestimate the power of our voices,” Ho said.

Principal Tom Barbieri was proud of his students’ initiative, and of their conduct on Wednesday, and he was grateful to his faculty for facilitating the students’ ability to organize and carry out their event.

“I have to say how proud I am as the principal at CHSW,” he said. “The students are a class act and sent a powerful, respectful message to all in our community to hear. I also want to acknowledge the teachers who supported the student's voice.”

At the middle schools

The middle schools in Cranston were still dealing with the two-hour snow delay that morning as 10 o'clock approached, but it did not stop them from continuing on with the day’s plans. At Park View Middle School, faculty member Stephanie Mills reported that all went as planned. “Students walked in when the doors opened at 9:30, we sold ribbons until the bell for homeroom and right after homeroom ended, at 10:10 we had the students walk the hallways silently for 17 minutes,” she said. “Each minute we read the name and age of a victim. We had probably close to 500 students and teachers walking on three floors in loops and you could have heard a pin drop. It was incredible to witness.”

According to eighth-grader Alexia Sterpis, the 17 minutes gave her “time to reflect on what happened,” and the quiet allowed her to think about the events in the world.

English teacher Sarah Short said, “To see over 400 middle school students purposefully be silent was a powerful experience. Their silence is what made their voices heard.”

At 10:00 a.m. at Western Hills Middle School, 17 tones sounded over the intercom as the school community sat quietly. Many wore white shirts, and donated money to do so. Those students who wished to walk outside for a silent memorial did so, and were accompanied by Principal Tim Vesey, guidance counselor Michael Watson and two Cranston Police officers. “The students were peaceful and respectful,” Vesey said. “As part of that day, we encouraged students to reach out to 17 other students that they would not normally talk to. We will continue to encourage out students to make friends with, say hello, and smile to their fellow Western Hills Cobras.”

Hugh B. Bain Principal Jeffrey Taylor said that the participation in Wednesday’s events was excellent, from the scheduled walk-in to the school’s Acts of Kindness challenge. “The students really stepped up and did an awesome job,” Taylor said. “We also had great involvement and support from all of our faculty and staff. Each of our students made their Act of Kindness pledges.”

At Hope Highlands Middle School, Principal Alex Kanelos reported that the students worked during advisory to brainstorm 17 ideas that would promote more kindness and positivity in the school, one for each victim of the Parkland tragedy. The ideas will be used to create a kindness board in the lobby of the school. Additionally, the victims were remembered at the 10 o’clock hour.

“We conducted a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of this tragedy,” he said. “Students and faculty were also encouraged to wear white to school.”