Student-led memorial ceremony March 14 a ‘learning experience’
Students Faith Dillman, Hope Meyer and Jordyn Fisher led the memorial ceremony last week, taking turns reading a short biography of each of the Florida shooting victims to a respectful gathering of about 150 of their fellow Prairie du Chien High School students. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)
By Correne Martin
On Wednesday, March 14, about 150 high schoolers at Prairie du Chien Schools displayed solidarity in support and remembrance of the 14 students and three faculty members who died in a Florida school shooting a month prior.
After pictures of the school-approved event appeared on social media, mainly the Courier Press’ Facebook page, a fire storm of comments materialized. The post about the student-led, peaceful display of compassion reached around 13,500 people. The post received more than 315 comments and was shared over 85 times.
“After the shootings (at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.), two students asked if we would have anything to commemorate the lives lost,” said Karen Sjoberg, academic and career readiness coordinator at PdCHS. She explained that nothing was planned.
But in the days prior to the National School Walkout Day, individual students again began discussing what they could do locally and asked staff if they’d be penalized for a 17-minute memorial ceremony in the back parking lot of the high school.
“We decided it would be student-led. There was no penalty for those who participated. We didn’t keep track of the names of the kids who were there,” Sjoberg stated. “I realize it was about the bigger picture across the country but, here, it was 17 minutes of remembrance. None of our student organizations took it on, it was all done by individuals. All our students were simply allowed to participate.”
Sjoberg noted that the Prairie du Chien High School student body totals 360, and while many of the students were on field trips Wednesday, she estimated more than half of them participated. Those who chose not to walk out remained in class during the time period.
“It was toward the end of a class, so three minutes of it was actually in between class time,” she added.
Overall, Sjoberg and the staff who were outside during the event, including Dean of Students Scott Gordon, believed the students to be very respectful and without exception serious in the matter. “I saw no whispering, no talking,” she said. “When it was done, Mr. Gordon encouraged them to be kind to others and they went solemnly back to class.”
Sjoberg is aware of many of the comments made on social media regarding Prairie du Chien’s event. She felt the students who responded to negative feedback “replied respectfully.” She called the entire situation a learning experience.
