FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Gus Schumacher, the Anchorage Olympic cross-country skier, a [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s rural schools are on track to access faster interne [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
MEHS Students Join Walkout on Shootings
By ABIGAIL BLISS
Sentinel Staff Writer
A wave of coordinated demonstrations against gun violence swept high schools across the country this morning, reaching Mt. Edgecumbe High School at 10 a.m. local time.
Some 30 MEHS students stood up, walked out of their classrooms, and congregated in the school parking lot to stand in solidarity with the victims of last month’s school shooting in Florida and send a message to political leaders about their priorities and political will.
The national protest, which has touched some 3,000 schools countrywide, was expected to last 17 minutes, in honor of the 17 students and teachers who lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, one month ago.
At Mt. Edgecumbe, the first students to step outside had walked out of their “Senior Futures” class and stood huddled near the water squinting in the sunlight.
Some students said they were participating out of compassion for the Parkland students and all other mass-shooting victims who had gone before.
“We feel for them,” said senior Agatha Andrews. “I don’t want them to feel that they’re being put aside and not cared about and that we’re not fighting for them, for all of them who’ve experienced it.”
“I just have a lot of respect for those who are doing it (protesting) because it’s not acceptable for young, innocent students to be in these harmful situations,” said Daisy Hunt. “We just want everybody to be protected.”
Another protester, substitute teacher Mitch Wenz, said he had walked out in resistance to the numb acceptance that marks the aftermath of school shootings in America.
“The current situation is kind of out of control,” he said. “I remember growing up, and there was not ever a gun shooting. Not once in a school, and now ... we’re not even shocked anymore. I think we’re becoming kind of numb to it.”
He acknowledged that the conversation surrounding gun control took on a singular dimension in Alaska absent from debates in urban areas in the lower 48.
“I think Alaska, we’re in a unique place because one could argue we do need guns out here. It’s a way of life. However, do we need something that can shoot, you know, 200 rounds in a couple minutes?... I think these guys should be able to go to school and feel safe.”
Other students said they were motivated to join their peer protesters across the country by the perpetual inaction of political leaders. Someone, they said, had to pick up the slack.
“It’s good that kids our age, high schoolers, are taking a stand because the government kind of isn’t doing anything about it, and it just keeps happening,” said Jenalee VanDyke. “It happened how many times this year? And it’s probably still going to happen if nothing is going to be done about it... Where are all the adults? And what about the government? What are they doing right now to stop all of this?”
“Besides getting money,” added classmate Jessyca Creasey.
“This is students taking a stand, and it’s not any political leaders,” said Andrea Cook. “We are the future, whether people like it or not.”
Sitka High School, where students are on spring break, was quiet.
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....
Comments