Max, a Montclair High senior, looked forward to the National School Walkout. He expected his town to step up and was proud to be the first one out the door. The Parkland students had made gun violence real to teens all across the country. On February 14, the day of the shooting, many MHS students followed developments via Snapchat stories. With the classrooms and teens so relatable, the dead bodies and horror called for students like Max to act.
Max appreciates the classroom discussions in MHS’s Center for Social Justice where he has learned about the power of lobbying and NRA-backed money. Along with handing out voter registrations and proselytizing the importance of voting to fellow students, Max will continue to educate himself on the history and policies of gun reform as well as the history of other movements. “I feel like we need to usher in this new age of intellectual youth.”
Beside education, Max places great value on people skills and the ability to communicate across generations. “I think it's better than being a genius at math or being a history wiz or being able to finish your physics homework in five minutes.” To bring change he feels we must work in solidarity with all ages because at the heart of this movement is peace and equity. Who wouldn’t want that?