"Be the Change" the focus of South Tahoe High rally on National Walkout Day

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The student body, teachers, staff of South Tahoe High School and community members came together Wednesday to be part of the National School Walkout and March For Our Lives, events held across the country one month after 17 students died in Parkland, Florida when a fellow student opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

At South Tahoe High the focus wasn't just on guns or gun control, but on the power each person has to make a change so this type of tragedy doesn't happen again. The students are part of a generation who has grown up with gun violence both at schools and in their communities.

"I want to be the person to make a change," said student speaker Danielle Valdivia Guzman. "I believe we have to be more kind and show more care."

She pleaded for students to look for the students who are "shadows and wallflowers" and give them just one smile, something that shows them they're appreciated. "One smile can show I exist," said Danielle.

"Twenty years have passed (since Columbine) and nothing has changed," said math teacher Barbara Bedwell. "Maybe the time has finally come," she told the gathered students.

Over half of the 1,000 students who were in school Thursday attended an outdoor rally in front of the school.

"Never have I seen a group of students more fired up than now," said Ms. Bedwell. "You already have inside of you all the tools to create change."

"To start change, look around at the incredible human beings we share the campus with," continued Ms. Bedwell. "We are all worth it! If you'd like to make change, recognize humanity around you."

Senior Celeste Holmes organized Wednesday's event at South Tahoe High School with the help of Senior Tevan Martorana and other members of the student leadership team.

"This is our generation's first call to action," Tevan told the crowd. "We will show them we will stand up and fight until no student is afraid and no one in our nation is afraid. We will fight. We will never give up!"

Tevan said they didn't have 17 minutes of silence in honor of the student who died, just 17 seconds. "They don't need silence, they need change," said Tevan. "We march because we matter. It starts here with us! We cannot allow their deaths to be in vain."

"We refuse to live in fear!" added Tevan.

Inside the gym after the outdoor speeches wrapped, students were given several calls of action. They were asked to sign letters of condolences for those in Florida, fill out a poster of why they marched, stop by counseling stations if they needed to talk, give their suggestions for safe solutions for South Tahoe High, write letters to Congressmen and Senators, and register to vote if old enough.

"We all have a reason to be, we are all worth it," said Ms. Bedwell.

"We all matter," added student Cole Proctor.