March 15, 2018
At 10 AM on March 14, across every time zone in the country, students walked out of schools and classes to demand attention to school safety and gun legislation. When the clocks on our campus struck 10, the Lansing Lobby did not flood with students rushing to walk out. Instead, the Upper School Commons filled.
It has been a historic week at MPA that the Upper School students will surely never forget. They have exhibited the kind of responsibility, dedication, and action that we are proud to have at our school. The week of action was organized completely by Upper School student leaders.
To get the conversation started, on Tuesday, March 13, students organized a bipartisan Town Hall meeting on our campus with Minnesota State Senators Mark Johnson (R) and Chuck Wiger (D). “We would like to use this opportunity to facilitate a meaningful discussion between students and bipartisan policymakers about how we can work together to keep our schools and communities safe, and to hear from a variety of viewpoints on this issue,” they shared.
Then on Wednesday, equipped with calling stations, postcard templates, and the League of Women Voters, Upper School students took 17 Minutes of Action. They wrote and called their legislators and they registered and committed to voting. Some of the Middle School i-Term classes that were on campus at the time also came to witness and understand the Upper School’s 17 Minutes of Action. They were even motivated to take action themselves.
Students also shared their own personal perspectives and goals for what their peers and they hoped to achieve. The event concluded with a moment of silence to honor the lives lost in the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
To wrap up the activities of the week, the Social Consciousness Club offered students a time today to process the week and think ahead to how they may continue taking action.
We commend these students for taking the lead during this unforgettable week and for all the ways they are dreaming big and doing right.
