I have to say that the Student journalists I oversee at the Overlook Journal continue to impress me with their dedication. While we have effectively gotten students to buy in to writing for the paper, getting school-oriented pieces written has always been a tough sell. Why? Well, at times, the school does not hold exciting events.

However, this year the students have made an effort to cover Student Council events that in the past they might not have. As the kids have grown, they also have found an interest in civic activism. They particularly have focused on the gun violence debate emanating from the survivors of the Parkland, FL, massacre. This has yielded authentic and productive discussions on school safety in their own school and across the nation. They are beginning to ask tough questions of their teachers and administrators, questions about their school’s safety precautions and procedures, questions that every kid of this era must now consider.

More so, they want their voices heard about the school’s apparent lacking response to observing 17 minutes of reflection in solidarity with Parkland. What many here and around the country need to realize is that the voices of children are important and must be valued. On the cusp of adulthood, they are exhibiting what I envisioned for them in adulthood: Questioning existing structures, demanding answers, and formulating solutions.

If only adults could have such foresight or be so productive…

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