Two hundred and six. That’s the number of Kempsville High School students who chose to participate in National School Walkout Day on March 14th, exactly a month after the tragic shooting at Marjory High School.

Students from across the nation participated in this movement, which was at 10 a.m. nationally (KHS held theirs at 9:15 a.m.) and had 17 minutes of silence –  a minute for each student who died.

An additional 9 students participated in the national walkout at 10 a.m., although it had not been organized by students as the one at 9:15 had.

The 9:15 walkout was arranged by Sara Sanatkar and Cate Sidwell, and security was provided by teachers and security guards. All students who participated were expected to return after the 17 minutes had ended and received unexcused absences.  

At Kempsville, the minutes of silence was preceded by 3 speeches by Sara Sanatkar, Cate Sidwell, and Gabrielle Aldea.

“This walkout is not necessarily against guns, it’s for the gun violence that has been going around… and for the voices that cannot speak anymore. This is a message that we want to state to Congress,” said Sara Sanatkar.  

After the speakers finished, students held hands and made their condolences in silence.

One of the walkers, Ariana Arnicar, said that she walked because she believed in the importance of representation.

“I knew that a lot of kids were going to be doing it, but I knew that if I didn’t do it, and other people didn’t do it, no one was going to get their voices heard. Being such a little person in the world it’s hard to be heard, especially when you’re a high school student,” said Arnicar as she left the field.

“I came out here because I wanted to give support to the victims. I know that their families are hurting and the students at that school are hurting, but I also came out here because I know there needs to be a change in gun control. I want them to tighten the laws,” Arnicar continued. “I also want people to learn that they need to speak up.”

Sara Sanatkar, one of the organizers of the protest at KHS, said that the night before she was worried about if anyone would participate.

“I would [have been] really disappointed if not very many people walked out,” Sanatkar confessed. “But at the same time, I thought: ‘It doesn’t matter if its one person or a hundred people, it’s still a voice that matters.’”