The organization at the next table is called, "Teen Resources."  One of their students gave me their card. They are basically doing the same sort of table presentation as we do sometimes. They have a wheel like a Wheel of Fortune Wheel that you spin, and you then answer a question. Whether you answer correctly or not, you win. You get your choice of candy or a button. Everybody who comes to the table gets a free pencil and a card, a business card, and the student I talked with gave me one of those cards and a pencil and two pin on ribbons.

 I talked with one of the students, and they explain very politely. The best I can tell, it is pretty much a student resources organization. It is run by students. They all seem to be awesome young people. Lots of people are flocking to their table. We probably could learn something from them, but I don't know what it is. Some people who go over to their table then come over two ours. One of them was a female Junior, who actually had a meaningful conversation with me. I gave her a copy of the flyer about the upcoming peace demonstration in downtown Chicago. The student who came to my table right after visiting the student resources table seemed like a keeper, but of course, I did not get her name. She is a junior. She is College Bound. She is interested in what we are doing. I gave her a flyer about the anti-war event in Chicago April 21. I asked her if she had participated in the walkout, and she had done so.

They had a walk out here at Elk Grove High School early on, and they also had the one that was being done nationally. Both events were supported by faculty. And by the administration. She participated in both. For the first one, she was unprepared, because it was sort of a surprise. But for the second one she had planned in advance, and she printed out a bunch of Flyers about the event and stopping gun violence, and shared them with a lot of people that day. Apparently a number of her fellow students gave her a hard time for walking out of the class. But all students who wanted to walk out had the administration's permission to do so, provided they did not miss the bulk of the class, and provided their behavior was orderly and appropriate during the walk out

Right now I see a student visiting the next table. She is wearing a camouflage backpack emblazoned, "USMC." A necklace that looks like a military dog tag dangles from the backpack.

Lynne

Tuesday was an interesting day at RMHS. A few students came to the table, grabbed candy, and took off. Students were not the interesting part. Faculty were.

A teacher whose name I didn't get, and a social education aide came to the table and talked with Roger and me. Roger asked the teacher, who graduated from Prospect, and knows Libby, what we should do to attract student interest. He recommended rap music. Well, the only rap music I have is the sound track from "Hamilton.".  Does anyone know of a rap album or artist whose music would mesh with our message? I don't. I’ll have to ask around.  My conversation with the special education aide was even more interesting.

Rolling Meadows high school now has a student organization that is focused on justice issues. He gave me the name of the organization, as well as the faculty sponsor of the organization.

Name of the organization is M. O. S. T.  It stands for Mustangs Organized for Social Transformation. The Faculty sponsor is Gabriel Popovich, who is an English teacher. The special education aide who gave me this information is Just Ibarra Flores. I'll have to go online to the RMHS website to get their email addresses and communicate with them.  

Lynne

Other than on young man who stopped and chatted most of my conversations were with administrative and security staff. The young man wants to be a video gamer and plans to start by getting his general ed requirements at Harper College before transferring.

One the way in I walked by the Buffalo Grove police officer. I had to ask her what she thought about arming teachers. Without hesitation she stated she thought it was a REALLY BAD IDEA. I have yet to meet anyone (teacher, parent, staff) that thinks arming teachers is a good idea except our crazy President and even crazier Secretary of Education.

There is a female security guard who has been saying since the election that our President will be impeached before he finishes out his term. I'm beginning to think she might be right.

Another security guard was talking about the gang banging that goes on in the school. Which might seem surprising given that it's Buffalo Grove but I think it reflects the fact that the demographics are changing. More and more families are escapging the violence in the city and settling in the northwest suburbs. They're trying to escape the gangs, but sometimes they follow them.

Libby

The big news at PHS today - I found out from one of the staff that over 500 students walked out March 14 in solidarity with the victims of the school shooting in Parkland FL. That's about 25% of the student body. Not bad. Would have been nice if it had been 100% but still.

The picture below was taken by a friend that is a teacher at BGHS. It is a picture of a banner that was signed by students in all six of the District 214 schools. It made the rounds of the schools and then was sent to Parkland FL in a show of solidarity. Very encouraging to see the students engaged in this way. Hopefully it will have some lasting effect.

Libby