On April 20, 1999, thirteen innocent lives were lost due to gun violence during the Columbine high school fatal shooting in Columbine, Colorado. Twenty-four years later students at Purdue Polytechnic high school in Indianapolis, Indiana stood in silence for thirteen minutes to commemorate the lives lost showing support for gun violence awareness.  

Victims of the Columbine shooting:

Cassie Bernall, 17; Steven Curnow, 14; Corey DePooter, 17; Kelly Fleming, 16; Matthew Kechter, 16; Daniel Mauser, 15; Daniel Rohrbough, 15; William “Dave” Sanders, 47; Rachel Scott, 17; Isaiah Shoels, 18; John Tomlin, 16; Lauren Townsend, 18, and Kyle Velasquez, 16.

At approximately 11:05 am dozens of students from Purdue Polytechnic High School marched out of their school in solidarity towards the East Washington Public Library where they silently protested against the rise of gun violence in their communities. Holding up signs they looked back at their school questioning the senseless killings of children and teens across the nation. “ I usually don’t join in political discussions as I’m not the kind of person who enjoys those discussions. However, when the walkout event was brought up it was an easy decision to make on if I wanted to join or not. It’s a dystopian fact that we have to protest against gun violence yet we still are and it’s a worse fact that many don’t realize the consequences of allowing guns to do so. It is embarrassing that we have to do this but a silent protest is better than staying silent entirely” said Chi-Han Cao, a Purdue Polytechnic junior and one of the co-planners and participants of the walkout.

While students in Indianapolis, Indiana used their collective power as youth in silent protest, students in Elizabethton, Tennessee were not given the same opportunity. Karisse Dickison, a junior at Elizabethton High School, channels her artistic talents to advocate for more awareness of social issues. A few days after a fatal shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennesse which claimed six innocent lives Dickinson and her fellow classmates planned a silent walkout to commemorate the lives lost in their community. 

The Covenant School Shooting victims 

Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9; Mike Hill, 61; William Kinney, 9; Katherine Koonce, 60; Cynthia Peak, 61; and Hallie Scruggs, 9.

To their surprise, their school administrators advised against a walkout and instead invited students to their school library.  “The tensions were very high in the room. There were some kids that wanted change like common sense gun laws and gun reform like we are advocating for.  And then there were just kids that were like ‘It’s just a mental health thing’ Which is obviously true but that’s not the whole thing” said Dickison when reflecting on the outcome of their protest in their school’s library.  “ The conversation wasn’t really productive it was like an argument which wasn’t what our walkout was supposed to be”

Many teens across the country agree with Dickinson as the root of the gun violence pandemic is more than mental health issues. Ryan Evans, a Junior at Purdue Polytechnic High School and leader of the PPHS walkout expressed his frustration with the lack of legislative action to combat gun violence in Indiana.”. We constantly hear people try and portray this image of a “good guy with a gun” However, what happens when the good guy with a gun turns into a very bad guy with a gun? Are so supposed to try and blame it on mental health, or someone’s sexual orientation, or keep this streak of making excuses for our lack of dignity and initiative to make changes to our gun laws?”

Protests like the ones at Purdue Polytechnic High School and Elizabethton High School were happening nationwide following the 2023 National Rifle Association( NRA) Annual Meetings & Exhibits held in Indianapolis, IN. The convention which took place from April 14th- 16th and drew an unexpected crowd of more than 77,000 NRA members according to the Indystar. The convention which featured a wide lineup of political figures and lawmakers like Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Former Indiana GOV. Mike Pence prompted divisive responses across the nation.  Dozens of protesters lined up outside of the convention center, some leading with “Body Count” demonstrations of people lying down to represent children killed in school shootings to advocate for gun violence awareness. “I don’t know what the answers are, how we can fix this, but what we’re doing isn’t working, and we have to do something,” said Holly Vonderheit, one of the demonstrators while speaking to 13 WTHR.

While many of the uprisings around the gun violence conversations are still taking place students at Purdue Polytechnic High School have chosen a collective approach rather than division. “I felt like it was important that regardless of the state we live in, those who might oppose our opinions or views, we shouldn’t have to sit in silence when our peers and thousands of innocent lives are being taken because we simply believe that guns are not the issue. I, along with many of my peers, are fed up.” 

Said Evans reflecting on his motivation to organize the walkout.  With the support gathered during the walkout, students have formed a Student Demand Action Chapter which is set to form during the next school year 2023-2024. While the Student Demand  Action Chapter has yet to start action, Purdue Polytechnic students have taken a head start in their gun violence advocacy coalition by meeting with advocacy specialists to discuss action routes.

On May 5th, students of the MakerOps( student government club) held a group lunch discussion with Rebecca McCracken, a Prevention and Coalition Coordinator for the Marion County Youth Violence Coalition. Through their meeting, students were able to gather action plans and learn more about anti-gun violence initiatives in Marion County.