Following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. last month, schools across the nation participated in the National School Walkout on Wednesday, March 14. Carbon High School had a different take on the event, encouraging students to “Walk Up, Not Walk Out.”
During an assembly on Wednesday morning, Carbon’s Friends of Rachel (FOR) club adviser Arthella Williams and Bethany Prettyman stood before the student body, urging students toward kindness instead of violence.
“We wanted the students to realize its small acts of kindness that can go a long way,” Williams said. “We wanted to keep the focus on the positive side of things, encouraging them to respect one another, reach out to someone and be more understanding.”
During the assembly, 17 students were recognized for their random acts of kindness, honoring the 17 students that passed away in Florida. Dorien Smith, Sidney Reiners, Natalia Hopes, Kelsey Sorenson, Makayla Peirce, Wynter Pendray, Summer Atherley, Mikey Bera, Jace Draper, Shane Madsen, Zoe Olsen, Christina Bartus, Lance Kemple, Brian Hobbs, Jared Spendlove, Natale Van Dyke and Patrick McKinney were all recognized during the assembly for their small acts of kindness they showed toward the student body at Carbon High School. Students and faculty were also invited to sign a poster of kindness throughout the remainder of the day.
Students and teachers can submit names of students who show kindness toward another to FOR, where these acts of kindness will be put together in a chain link. FOR wants to make it a goal to create a chain link long enough to wrap around the track on the football field.
“Our main goal is to become more kind,” stated Williams. “Through the chain, we are able to have a visual of how far an act of kindness can actually go.”
