Students at The Gordon School take action following FL tragedy
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Kids at The Gordon School in East Providence are taking a pro-active stance following the tragedy in Florida earlier this week. During a workshop on Friday some students chose to write letters to those affected by the shooting, others made posters for an upcoming anti-gun violence rally and some chose to write to lawmakers about gun control.
"I feel like it’s important to empathize for those affected and to talk about how horrible and awful it was, but I also think it’s important to think about what we can do for the future to help prevent anything like that from happening again,” said 8th grader Julia Bendheim.
Bendheim helped spearhead the special workshop when she asked teachers what action could be taken in the wake of the mass shooting.
The 14-year-old says she chose to use her time making a poster.
"I wrote to protect our students because I think it’s important that we increase and improve our gun prevention laws,” said Bendheim.
Sydney Montstream-Quas, a coach at the school and the director of operations at the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, led Friday’s conversation.
She talked with the students about gun prevention laws and warning signs of violence to be on the lookout for. After she was done addressing the students she had them break up into groups where they could take action in their own way.
"They had lots of different ways to express their condolences,’ said Monstream-Quas.
For students we spoke with, it was a positive step on the road to healing.
"It’s really something that you have to take in for a while and it takes a while to just remember that this is Gordon and your safe here. But, you realize it could happen anywhere,” said Kavi Mongia Gasper.
The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence will be holding a rally next month where they will outline their agenda for this legislative session. Monstream-Quas says a Safe Schools Act will be discussed at that time.
(C) WLNE 2018
