In a coordinated effort to raise awareness about gun violence and mental health concerns, students at Pine Creek High School walked out of class Friday, Sept. 26. At 11:50 a.m., dozens of students gathered at the flag pole outside of the school, remaining there until 1:12 P.M. in a show of their support and solidarity in the matter. The protest was organized by Pine Creek students Ciarra Tapia (11), Caiden Crosby (12), Mason Marill (12), Yameen Hossain (11), and Domiyanno Ramos (12) whose goal was to spark conversation on the topic. 

Students stood in unity, sharing personal stories and experiences and offering each other silent support. The organizers said the motivation behind the walkout was to bring attention to the connection between mental health and school safety. “This protest is about gun violence awareness and wanting to talk about how mental health is tied to many school shootings,” stated Tapia, the planner and fellow activist of the protest, “The news was playing and I saw how a bunch of schools were hosting walkouts and it inspired me to organize this event.” 

Several students who attended the walkout shared their personal reasons for participating. Eden Everhart (11) referred to a past incident at a nearby school, “When I heard about Evergreen, it hit close to home.” She added, “You don’t realize how real it is until it happens to someone you know.”

Marill, along with others, commented on the importance of speaking out. “My participation was rather spontaneous but I believe in the message of how society needs to show a change,” voiced Marill, “Awareness needs to be brought, the change is not instantaneous and everyone deserves to voice their opinion on such a serious matter.”

Tapia concluded with a message of responsibility and aspiration. “I hope more people are able to open up and receive the help that they need to prevent any school shootings in the future.” She said, “Every student that showed up realized that we are the next generation of people who have the power to prevent these issues.” 

As the walkout came to a close, students quietly returned to their classes, demonstrating a pause in the protest but not in the conversation surrounding gun violence and mental health. The event aimed to have a lasting impact on students, administration, and the local community, encouraging them to address pressing issues and find potential solutions.