Students at Hammonton High School left their classrooms this morning at 10 am for 17 minutes to honor each life lost at the Parkland shooting one month ago today.

Part of the #Enough Movement, students entered Gym A, sat down for a few minutes then started walking out the gym doors. In the back of the school students formed a big circle holding hands. After a few minutes or so they re entered the building and sat down at the bleachers to hear the names be read by other students.

After each name the band rung a bell in honor of each life lost. After all the names were read, the whole gym had a moment of silence.    

The #Enough Movement website cited the purpose of the walkout: “to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods. We need action. Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship.”

For participants, the walkout had great significance.   

Junior Angelica Ortiz, who read a portion of the victim names, addressed the group at first.

“We have to all want to get together to make a change. I know a lot of you have siblings and family in the middle school and other schools, so it makes a big difference if we change something this year because it changes the way the school environment is for next year and years to come,” she said.

“I also want to say this protest is not something to be negative. Its to bring lots of positivity into our schools. As human race we want to be pro life.”     

At the time of press, the number of student participants was not known.

According to an email from administration, students were not penalized for choosing to participate but did so within the time frame provided.