I collected these interviews for an article about the National School Walkout, which was done in solidarity with the victims of the Majory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. These interviews in particular were challenging because, given that it was a highly sensitive moment for my classmates, I needed to gather their thoughts without disturbing them during the peaceful protest. However, the decision to do the interviews in the moment gave the article a genuineness that would not have been there if I had done them after the fact.
In addition to the student's perspective, I knew I needed information from higher up. This was a very serious topic and I knew people were looking to me to do it justice. While looking on my school's homepage, I saw an announcement from the school district office. It was a statement from the superintendent, Dr. David Flowers, addressing the community's anxiety about school shootings. After reading the statement in full, I reached out to him for an interview. This was a defining moment for me; reaching out to the head of our entire district for an interview did not hold the same weight as talking to my fellow student whom I have known for years.
In addition to the student's perspective, I knew I needed information from higher up. This was a very serious topic and I knew people were looking to me to do it justice. While looking on my school's homepage, I saw an announcement from the school district office. It was a statement from the superintendent, Dr. David Flowers, addressing the community's anxiety about school shootings. After reading the statement in full, I reached out to him for an interview. This was a defining moment for me; reaching out to the head of our entire district for an interview did not hold the same weight as talking to my fellow student whom I have known for years.