NEW YORK – On Wednesday, March 14, the students and faculty of St. George Academy (SGA) joined thousands of high school students around the country in a walk-out to commemorate the 17 innocent victims of the mass shooting that took place on February 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
Wearing orange ribbons in solidarity with their peers around the nation and holding signs that read “We remember the victims of the Florida shooting,” the students and faculty left the school at approximately 10 a.m., walked down Sixth Street, to Second Avenue and up Seventh Street in a solemn march of remembrance.
The students then proceeded into St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church where Principal Andrij Stasiw spoke to the students about the tragedy and read the names of each of the 17 victims who perished on February 14. Everyone then prayed for the innocent victims of the slaughter and their families and shared their thoughts with each other about the tragic event.
Noah Bailen, a junior, shared his regret and hopes for the future: “Killing does not solve anything. It will only be a vest of regret and sadness for the rest of one’s life… It is time for a change!”
Senior James Verdugo imparted the following advice to his fellow students: “Cherish your life. Love your life. Live every day like it’s your last.”
“Those who need help need to see that seeking help isn’t a bad thing… it doesn’t define you as mentally unstable. In order to start this positive change, we need to remove all the harsh labels, begin to take accountability for our actions and problem-solve as a nation,” stated sophomore Alexandra Pabon.
Junior Maksym Ivashkiv concluded with the thought, “…we don’t need to wait for somebody to deal with our problems. We can and have to do it by ourselves, because the future is depending on us.”
Then the students had the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker, the Rev. Dr. Ivan Kaszczak, who poignantly pointed out that “The hurt hurt others.” He went on to remind the students that the Lord has given us free will and that when we are hurting we have a choice in how we react. If we put our faith in God, we can heal our wounds and make the world a better, more loving place.
The prayer service concluded with a few words from Principal Stasiw, before the students returned to the school library to meet with Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian National Legion, who spoke briefly about gun violence and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Father Ivan Kaszczak addresses the students and faculty of SGA.