Atherton High School students organize ribbon ceremony for Parkland shooting victims

Meleena Richardson

Congressman John Yarmuth receives a ribbon from Atherton High School seniors Elena Nunez and Hailey Streble.

Meleena Richardson, Staff Reporter
February 23, 2018

 

  • Congressman John Yarmuth interviews with WDRB news at Atherton High School.

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  • Elena Nunez wears a ribbon with the name “Lucero Alcaraz” in remeberance of the victims of the Parkland, Florida shooting.

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  • Elena Nunez being interviewed by WDRB.

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  • Congressman John Yarmuth takes a “selfie” with students at Atherton High School.

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  • Congressman John Yarmuth hands out ribbons to the eager students.

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  • Students walk out of classes to receive their ribbons from Congressman John Yarmuth.

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  • Congressman John Yarmuth poses with Elena Nunez and Hailey Streble.

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  • Congressman John Yarmuth’s High School plaque hanging in Atherton High School’s hall of fame.

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Friday morning, Feb. 23, students at Atherton High School in Louisville received orange ribbons with the names of the fallen Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victims in a silent protest against gun violence in high schools across the country.

The idea was formulated by Elena Nunez, a senior at Atherton High School. In attendance was Congressman John Yarmuth, who is a graduate of Atherton High School’s 1965 class.

Nunez and other students wanted to take a stand against gun violence in wake of recent fatal school shootings in a way other than the student walkout which many schools have already participated in.

“We had a meeting Wednesday after school, and we took suggestions on what we could do to peacefully protest and to raise awareness,” Nunez said. “I raised my hand and suggested that we all wear orange and wear orange ribbons, and they took to that idea.”

Yarmuth supports Nunez’s efforts in raising awareness for gun control and despite President Donald Trump’s suggestion to arm teachers, Yarmuth does not think it will help the growing issue.

“I’ve been a strong component of gun safety legislation. I am strongly in favor of universal background checks,” Yarmuth said. “I think arming teachers is a terrible idea. They become educated to teach kids not to fire guns.”

Nunez and her peers plan on wearing the ribbons in the scheduled “March for our Lives” in Washington, D.C. on March 24.

“My grandma and I have planned to make a trip to Washington, D.C. for The March for our Lives on March 24, but we are also trying to figure out how to plan a school-wide trip as well,” Nunez said. “We are trying to get funding for it., We will probably make a go-fund-me page to raise money for that.”