Parkland Shooting Stirs Cambridge Students to Action

In the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, students all over the nation have been talking about how to take action and incite change.

Cambridge is no exception; many students here are making their voices heard in ways both small and large.

Inspired by student-organized walkouts across the country, senior Kayla Quilichini is working with Principal Edward Spurka to organize a moment of silence for the 17 victims of the shooting.

The assembly will be held at 10 a.m. on March 14, marking the one-month anniversary of the shooting. Since March 14 is a GROWL day, Quilichini said, she is asking students to come to school by 10 to participate in the moment of silence.

Quilichini said students participating in the moment of silence should wear orange, which is the national gun violence awareness color.

Quilichini has worked with some of her friends, seniors Haley Allen, Hannah Restler and Lucy Pease, to organize this moment of silence.

Other Cambridge students have taken action in other ways to not only speak out about gun violence in schools but to get others involved, as well.

One student who has rallied action is senior Carolyn McLain. McLain has written letters to Georgia’s U.S. senators, as well as students at Stoneman Douglas, and she has gotten others to do the same.

After history teachers at Cambridge received information on how to send letters to the students in Florida, McLain decided to bring that information to the youth leader at her church.

The church’s youth program, Inside Out, encouraged attendees to follow in McLain’s footsteps and write letters to the students in Florida.

McLain got involved by reading news accounts of the students at Stoneman Douglas, and trying to listen to the voices of the people who were most affected by the shooting.

“The least I could do is listen to all of them,” said McLain.

McLain said she wants to get as many letters out as possible, and that it is important for everyone to “listen to people to try and empathize, then take action in your own way.”

Another senior, Srijita Nandy, has focused on contacting her representatives in state and national government. Nandy, who describes herself as outspoken and politically involved, said that as a voter, she has called her representatives every day since the shooting to make her voice heard.

She said that she calls to tell representatives how she feels about gun regulations and legislation, and to say that if they do not take action to update those laws, “they won’t get reelected. At least, I won’t vote for them.”

Nandy has also written letters to the families and students at Stoneman Douglas.

Cambridge students have taken action in all kinds of ways, but the common thread is that they are passionate about this issue, and they want to inspire conversation and change.

“I hope people understand that this isn’t a second amendment issue; this isn’t a partisan issue. This is a safety issue,” said Nandy.

To send a letter to the students at Stoneman Douglas, mail them to this address:

Stoneman Douglas High School

5901 NW Pine Island Road

Parkland, Florida 33076