FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Florence School District One students participated in the National Walkout Day.
Since last month, West Florence High School had three different incidents with weapons on campus.
School Officials say Wednesday’s demonstration was entirely planned by students.
West Florence students walked out of class to pay respects to students and staff killed on Valentine’s day at a high school in Parkland Florida.
“17 people were killed trying to get or give an education. 14 students were stripped of the opportunity to walk across the stage,” said Hagan Rollins, West Florence Senior class Treasurer. “Three teachers showed up to work not knowing it was going to be their last day.”
About 700 of the 1,300 students came to the soccer field and held a moment of silence for the victims.
Each student council member held personalized signs with each of the victims.
Rollins researched Alyssa Alhadeff.
“She was big into soccer and wanted to play soccer in college,” explained Rollins. “She was a very bright light in her school. She will be greatly missed.”
Dashanti Price, West Florence Vice President, memorialized Carmen Chentrup.
“She was a person that could’ve changed the world if she was still here today,” said Price. “She was a National Merit Scholarship finalist. She wanted to become a doctor for diseases for ALS.”
Ella Kitchens, West Florence Sophomore class President held a sign in honor of Joaquin Oliver.
“He had a lot going for him. He was on the basketball team. He loved Miami Heat,” she said passionately. “He was a great person. So vibrant and happy all the time.”
Kitchens says although the students planned the event for more than a month. She was nervous as she walked out of school Wednesday
“It scared a lot of people. I know some of my close friends said ‘I don’t want to come out today because I’m too afraid to get shot.’ That’s the whole entire reason we want to have this because we should not have to go in fear to go to an event to recognize people have died,” said Kitchens. “It breaks my heart to know people are too scared to go on the school field because they don’t want to get shot.”
Students at the school hope this promotes peace and stops school shootings.
“It can happen at any school. I just really want students to feel safe and secure in school,” said Kitchens. It’s heartbreaking to me that we can’t even learn. For you not to want to go to school and learn because you’re scared of your life. I hate that it’s come to that.”
Royall Elementary school leaders took a different approach to the National Walkout Day.
The school welcomed first responders to “walk in” and eat lunch with students.
Principal Julie Smith says they want to say ‘thank you.’
Each student wrote thank you cards for the men and women.
“We wanted to have them let us serve them for a change. They serve us each and every day. I also wanted our children to see a large number of first responders in a positive setting so that if worst case they ever had to see them again they would feel safer than they may have otherwise,” said Smith. “We want to never face the situation they had in Parkland Florida but if they do face that situation we want them to feel safe.”
On March 8th, the school board decided to use $1.3M to replace cameras at all the school in the district. This will include the cost of ‘code blue’ and front door access at all three high schools: South Florence $106, 416; West Florence $106,462; and Wilson High $98,091.