Mont Harmon Middle students school chose to honor the victims of last month’s shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. by focusing on 17 acts of kindness to uplift others.
On March 12, students wrote on an orange piece of paper how they would make their school a safer, kinder place.
During the time scheduled for the national walkout on March 14—185,000 high school students staged walkouts from their schools all across the nation to honor Parkland victims and also to demand attention to the scourge of gun violence—the slips of paper rose to the sky in 300 balloons.
Students gathered on the football field, observed a moment of silence and then released their orange balloons.
“It was an insightful experience. When I thought about what happened to those kids, during the moment of silence, I thought of how their parents must have felt,” said Ryann Jeanselme, an eighth grader. “I want to make our school a better place because I don’t want to see anyone else lose their child.”
Chelsa Roberts, a school counselor at Mont Harmon, said the students took the activity seriously and reflected upon helping each other.
“It was amazing to see all of the students be respectful during the moment of silence. They really concentrated on the activity and what they can do to help each other,” she said.
The week was named after the Orange Project, a national movement to end violence and suicide.
Kaylee Basso, Miss Carbon County Outstanding Teen first attendant, made orange ribbons for the entire student body.
The week’s activities were paired with her platform encouraging kindness and love.
Activities will continue throughout the week, and hopefully forever.
“When I was on lunch duty, the students came up to me and told me what they were doing to make our school safer.
“It was amazing to hear how much they are thinking about it; it is changing them. It will change all of us,” Randi Leonard, another Mont Harmon school counselor, said.
Mont Harmon students use balloon release to honor 17 Parkland victims
IMG_8541.JPG