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Students throughout the nation will walk out of their high schools March 14 to honor the victims of last month's mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida. While the plan for most of the country is to walk out at 10 a.m., the students at Hermitage High School have set goals beyond honoring the dead and are pushing for what they consider to be common-sense gun laws.
The Hermitage event, organized by junior Sam Alburger, will focus on gun violence as a whole. The students' aim is to capitalize on the walk-out movement by increasing turnout among young voters.
“If we ever really want to see firm political change, we are going to have to come together in unison and vote out these people,” Alburger said, describing political inaction on gun reform. “Unless they make a change, they’re not going to have the support of the youth of America.”
Gun laws are a divisive issue, but Alburger believes that encouraging young people to vote could lead to common sense gun laws being enacted.
He is aware that younger voters don’t garner the respect of other demographics but said the notion that his is the "kids-who-eat-Tide-pods" generation masks the reality that there are so many young people with great ideas.
Hermitage Principal Robert Turpin asked Alburger organize the students at the school after several students expressed a desire to do more than just honor the victims of the Parkland shooting during a walk-out. Alburger has experience organizing students for the Virginia Unity Project, an organization he created, and an upcoming youth summit.
“I’m very lucky to have a platform where I can facilitate other kids getting their ideas heard,” Alburger said. “I think there is a change coming on the horizon, and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’m proud to have a group of students at my school that want to be a part of it as well.”
Henrico Schools officials are supportive of the Henrico students who choose to walk out, said HCPS spokesman Andy Jenks. School system officials are working to devise guidance plans for all schools to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the March 14 walkout, which will take place between 9:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
