The Wessex Wire The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School
Vol. LVIII No. 4
65 West Greenbrook Road, North Caldwell, N.J.
TheWessexWire.com
April 2018
Students organize walkout to honor Parkland victims By Michael Sessa ’18 Students at the high school held a walkout and day of action on Wednesday, March 14, to show their support for the victims of the recent mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Fla., and to call for legislative action regarding school safety. Before leaving the building at about 9:15 a.m., students manned numerous stations throughout the school’s cafeteria and hallways where students could buy T-shirts and bracelets, send letters to their senators and representatives and even register to vote. A town hallstyle assembly organized by students featured congressional candidates Martin Hewitt (R), Tamara Harris (D) and Mitchell Cobert (D), as well as former New Jersey governor and state senator Richard Codey. Representatives from Moms Demand Action and the League of Women Voters were also present. The day-long display marked the one month anniversary of the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 14 students and three staff members were killed. It was part of a nationwide, student-led memorial and protest. About 400 students who chose to participate in the walkout met in one of the school’s parking lots and stayed outside for 17 minutes—60 seconds for each of the Parkland victims. The names of victims were read over a megaphone; sophomore Gillian Wolf presented a poem written by a Parkland survivor.
Photo by Alexa Dratch
Students stand in solidarity on March 14 in the main parking lot, honoring the victims of the February school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
Sophomore Evie Klein, one of the students who helped organize the day with about 30 others, said students worked hard to make sure the day allowed for constructive dialogue and the opportunity to participate in visible change. “It’s about taking action more than just walking out,” she said. Senior Celia White said she was impressed with how extensive the demonstrations were and how powerful student voices have become since the shooting in Florida. “I feel like most people actually believe in what we are doing,” she said. Christine McGrath, the Essex County co-leader for Moms
FIND MORE ONLINE Visit thewessexwire.com for video of the walkout and student voices from the March for Our Lives on March 24. Demand Action, manned a table outside the auditorium and spoke to students about how they can become advocates. “We’re so excited that students are so involved in this issue,” she said. “Their advocacy will make a difference.” Students met with the three congressional candidates in the auditorium at 11 a.m. All three, though competing for the chance to claim the same seat in the 11th congressional district, encouraged
students to hold their legislators to account and to fight for change. “Each of you is a change agent,” Harris said. “You, as a voice, united, can make a difference today,” Cobert said. “The future belongs to you—not us,” Hewitt told students. Codey, who served as governor from 2004 to 2006, debated audience members about gun ownership as well as mental health and violence. Some of the exchanges, especially those dealing with mental
illness, became contentious. School administration was uninvolved in the activism of the walkout and town hall but worked with students to coordinate the logistics of the day’s events to ensure the safety of those participating. Students agreed to walk out at a time designated by administrators, and police from the sending districts closed the campus while the protest took place. Students thanked police officers who were stationed around the campus and throughout the building for their service. West Essex students were among thousands of American students who participated in similar demonstrations across the country on March 14.
Generation Z: everyone born between 1995 and 2010. We’re the youngest generation on the planet, but one of the most talked about, one of the most complex and the one with the highest set of expectations. We’ve been called entitled, uncultured, absorbed by technology. But who is Generation Z? What are we actually interested in? What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind? We’ll try to get to the bottom of it in this special edition of The Wessex Wire.
Inside this issue:
* How technology is increasing social anxiety in teens (pg 3) * Fear of judgement causes teens to hide online (pg 6) * Today’s generation: the guinea pigs of the future (pg 8 & 9) * How the film industry has changed over the years (pg 11) * Former athletes return for coaching positions (pg 14)
illustration by Grace Irwin
In This Issue:
4-6 Opinion
Stop talking down trade school
7 & 10 Features
Prom expenses add up
14-16 Sports
Seniors commit to college athletics