The nationwide walkouts were started by the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER. According to the group, the walkouts are “to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods” and “to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship.”
The protest began when students gathered in silence behind the school. Then, the students marched through the school and began chanting for peace in front of the school on main street. Some students displayed signs that read “We demand change” and “No more silence, end gun violence.” Overall, the walkout was a tremendous sign of unity among many Sturgis students.
Reflection on Recent Violence in the World
Because of recent events such as the Parkland shooting, members of the Sturgis StormWatch have decided to reflect on the growing issue of violence in America. I will start by asking a question: which is more powerful - love or hate? There may be many different answers to this question: some that directly answer the question and some that go into greater depth.
A massacre occurred on Wednesday, February 14th, 2018. The lives of seventeen innocent souls were lost, many of whom were the age of Sturgis students. This massacre was fueled by hate. These children were friends, brothers, sisters, and classmates. Teachers, coaches, and role models were also affected. Many were planning to go to college, have successful careers, and possibly change the world. Because of the shootings, these dreams will never happen. If we want to prevent future incidents like this, we have to stop spreading hatred.
I do not believe love can be described in just a few words. Love is something that can bond people through the toughest times. Love is caring for someone more than anything. Love is a man giving half of his food to his pet dog or a mother working fourteen hour shifts so her child can go to college. When people help and support one another, they spread love. Even a simple act of love can change a whole person’s day. By spreading love, we can empower those who were affected by the shooting to be strong.
We must stop the hatred that caused this massacre. What we need now more than ever is love. We can stand by each other during these dark times and find light. Together we have the power to make the world a better place. I encourage you not to hold on to hatred or grudges. Instead, hold your loved ones tight. Call a loved one you haven’t heard from in a while, donate to a charity or help someone who’s fallen. Keep love in your heart everyday. You can make a positive impact on someone’s life by sharing love.
Hopes for an End to Violence in the Future
Sadly, violence plays an active role in our world today. It is truly heartbreaking to witness countless lives being lost at schools where students seek an education. I hope that one day, such violence will be a thing of the past. I believe it is our responsibility as people to promote peace in the world in every way possible. Our communities should be rich in love and empty of violence and harm. Even small groups of people can make a big impact in others’ lives, so I encourage everyone to help play a role in making our world a safer and happier place. By doing this, we can all take a step forward towards a better tomorrow.
NHSMUN 2018 in New York City!
Delegates covered a wide range of topics such as the protection of minorities in the ongoing South Sudanese Civil War to the management of security in global telecommunications and many more. No matter what country each student represented, everyone had a common goal of finding peace and unity.
Once the buses arrived at the New York Hilton Midtown, Sturgis students quickly introduced themselves to their fellow delegates. With fast-approaching deadlines to formulate resolutions that addressed the views of the 193 United Nations member states, delegates communicated and collaborated with each other quickly and effectively. In the hours leading up to the final committee session, sponsors of different resolutions emphatically shared their views with others to ensure that their resolution would pass. Therefore, it was an incredibly rewarding feeling to hear delegates fill the room with applause after certain resolutions passed.
The National High School Model United Nations conference is a perfect platform for students to embody what it means to be an IB student. Both the IB and NHSMUN seek to promote peace and global citizenship. By learning about issues that affect people from all walks of life, students recognize their responsibility to help the global community. The ways that students can make a change in their communities after attending NHSMUN are endless!
Many thanks go out to Mr. Fetzer and Ms. Manrique for helping Sturgis East attend this event! The trip would not have been possible without them. We look forward to seeing Sturgis East’s MUN club take part in NHSMUN again next year!
Sturgis Chess Club Championship on the Horizon!
This year, the Sturgis Chess Club is full of freshmen who have helped the team advance this far. These freshmen have many people optimistic of the club’s future success. Good luck to the Sturgis Chess Club in their final match against Dartmouth!
Spring Sports are Here!
As Winter comes to an end, it is time to put away our snow boots and get out our Spring shorts! This is a very exciting time for Sturgis not only because of the impending warm weather, but also because Spring sports are beginning! Sturgis offers a variety of sports including baseball, lacrosse, sailing, softball, tennis, and track and field. I encourage everyone to try a sport if you can. Joining a sports team is a great way to make friends and get to know students in different grades. It is also a great way to stay healthy during the Spring and to have an outlet from all of our schoolwork. It is really fun to get outside in the nice weather doing what you love! Many of the freshmen I have spoken with regarding Spring sports say that they are ecstatic to start playing and represent Sturgis! Each of the sports teams at Sturgis are very welcoming and full of energetic and excited members. Spring sports practices begin this week. The StormWatch would like to wish the best of luck to all of Sturgis’ spring athletes!
Sturgis East and West STAGE Perform One-Act Plays
Recently, STAGE, Sturgis’ own theatre group, put on a showing of the play Hush Little Celia, Don’t Say a Word and Sturgis West’s play, Detective Sketches (Trouble is Eating my Pants). Both of these shows did great at the general showings. Afterwards, everyone involved prepared to perform their plays at the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival.
This event, put on by the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild (METG), is a gathering of the best theatre high schools Massachusetts has to offer. Each participating school puts forward a short, one act play (about 40 minutes) which is shown in regional competitions all over the state. Once every show has been performed, judges select three to move on to the semifinals. The same process is repeated at the semifinals and finals until a winner is decided.
This year, many great shows were performed in the regional competitions, ranging from dark dramas to ridiculous comedies. Sturgis East’s play, Hush Little Celia, Don’t Say A Word, was about the interactions of Celia, a girl with selective mutism, meaning she will only speak to a few people, and Todd, a rebellious boy. Sturgis West’s play, Detective Sketches (Trouble is Eating my Pants), is the story of an old-time private investigator who receives a case from the enigmatic “Woman in Green”, leading him on a wild and hilarious chase for something she had lost (though she couldn’t remember what).
Although every school was amazing and put forth tremendous effort, only three could move on to the semifinals. One of the selected winners was Sturgis West and Detective Sketches (Trouble is Eating my Pants)! Last weekend, they participated in the semifinals at BMC Durfee High School in Fall River but did not earn a spot in the state finals. We here at the Sturgis Stormwatch would like to congratulate Sturgis West on a great outing this year, and we wish both campuses great luck in their future endeavors! Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival!