Author Dave Cullen sparks activism in Sylvania students
The writer of renowned books about the Columbine and Parkland shootings spoke during a special assembly.
By Bri'on Whiteside / The Blade
Tue, 15 Oct 2019 17:44:22 GMT
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Southview High School’s gymnasium was quiet Tuesday as students hung on to every word uttered by Dave Cullen, renowned author of Columbine and Parkland: Birth of a Movement.
Mr. Cullen hosted assemblies at Sylvania’s Northview and Southview high schools, in which he spoke to students about activism and their power as society’s rising advocates.
During his presentation, Mr. Cullen spoke about his experience with students-turned-activists Alex Wind, Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin, David Hogg, and Emma Gonzalez of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who survived the February, 2018, mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people and wounded 17 others.
In the aftermath of the mass shooting, Mr. Cullen spent time with the students responsible for sparking the national March For Our Lives demonstration in 2018 — which was the nation’s largest single-day rally against gun violence.
Following the debut of his books, Mr. Cullen has traveled to high schools nationwide encouraging students to find their niche and mobilize.
“Whatever your problem is, whatever you’re trying to solve, you have to be really realistic about what the problem is and why things are going wrong,” he said. “You can’t just wish it away or say, ‘Oh, we’re going to do this rally and things are going to change.’ They’re only going to change when you really figure the problem out.”
He encouraged students to remain authentic and tenacious when advocating for the issues they desire to resolve.
Southview Senior Kenna Edwards, 17, said she was inspired to use her passions to discover her own sense of advocacy. She said she was encouraged to use her social media platforms to leverage her voice.
“It shouldn’t have to be this horrible event has happened and that has triggered your passion,” she said. “I think teens these days really need to focus more on using our social media platforms because that’s what our lives revolve around.”
For senior Abby Heisler, 17, Mr. Cullen’s presentation reminded her that she can use her voice for issues that most align with her personal beliefs.
“It’s not just the gun issues or national issues, but it can be [issues] within our community,” she said. “And he showed how you can make a difference at any level, whether it be local, state, and national. At any point in your life, you can make a difference and do something about it.”
As for her interests, Miss Heisler said she is most passionate about mental health.
“Mental health. Many people have PTSD — post-traumatic stress disorder — which leads to depression and other disorders. I’m really passionate about mental health, and I think we need to advocate for that more and make sure everyone has a chance to better their depression or other disorders,” she said.