Columbine High Students Strive 10 Years After Massacre

[methodwriter85]

So tommorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the Colombine High School shootings, and I thought I'd take a moment and share this article with you that focuses on some of the victims and what they've been doing with their lives after the tragedy.

 

Columbine High Students- 10 Years Later

 

I was particularly moved with the story of Patrick Ireland, aka the Boy in The Window, who went on to become valedictorian for his class, graduated summa cum laude, and leads a nice successful life with a woman he loves. I also liked the woman who said that it's a part of her, but didn't seem to be letting that moment define her life.

 

As for me, I see the Columbine High School massacre as one of the definining moments of my generation. Although there had been school shootings before, this is the one in which we were able to see news footage of the rescues of people. I think it shattered this innocence people had about how schools were a safe place- and that even the suburban schools weren't a safe haven anymore. It made me think that it could happen ANYWHERE, even at my school. I remember how we used to regularly have to be dismissed from classes because someone pulled a bomb threat, and I've head of schools where they actually had drills pertaining to what to do in case of a school shooting at their campus. And I realize that, thirty or so years previous, our parents would have NEVER been able to concieve of that, especially those who came from the "safe" suburbs. I think at the back of my mind, I always wondered if and when it would happen at my school, because of Columbine. At college, I pretty much left those worries behind because I figured college was the place where everyone could be happy and find acceptance, until V. Tech showed me that the college environment isn't free from crazed bullied kids, either.

 

The solution, I think, is to make sure that our kids understand that differences between us should be celebrated and not feared or despised. When you do that, I think more kids are going to grow up with a better respect for themselves and other people.

[W_L]

So tommorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the Colombine High School shootings, and I thought I'd take a moment and share this article with you that focuses on some of the victims and what they've been doing with their lives after the tragedy.

 

Columbine High Students- 10 Years Later

 

I was particularly moved with the story of Patrick Ireland, aka the Boy in The Window, who went on to become valedictorian for his class, graduated summa cum laude, and leads a nice successful life with a woman he loves. I also liked the woman who said that it's a part of her, but didn't seem to be letting that moment define her life.

 

As for me, I see the Columbine High School massacre as one of the definining moments of my generation. Although there had been school shootings before, this is the one in which we were able to see news footage of the rescues of people. I think it shattered this innocence people had about how schools were a safe place- and that even the suburban schools weren't a safe haven anymore. It made me think that it could happen ANYWHERE, even at my school. I remember how we used to regularly have to be dismissed from classes because someone pulled a bomb threat, and I've head of schools where they actually had drills pertaining to what to do in case of a school shooting at their campus. And I realize that, thirty or so years previous, our parents would have NEVER been able to concieve of that, especially those who came from the "safe" suburbs. I think at the back of my mind, I always wondered if and when it would happen at my school, because of Columbine. At college, I pretty much left those worries behind because I figured college was the place where everyone could be happy and find acceptance, until V. Tech showed me that the college environment isn't free from crazed bullied kids, either.

 

The solution, I think, is to make sure that our kids understand that differences between us should be celebrated and not feared or despised. When you do that, I think more kids are going to grow up with a better respect for themselves and other people.

 

Well said, it was defining moment in our generation. Before 9/11, it was the most traumatic and important event in my young life. I was in middle school at the time and still remember for days afterward the fear that people kept. Fire alarms with bomb threats became a way of life; perhaps, the best name for our generation is the Generation of Terror.

 

I'm happy to know that people have grown through such tragedy and lived on after the trauma.

 

I agree with the sentiment that teaching others to accept differences would be good to prevent future incidents. I just wish those words did not fall on deaf ears. My high school after Columbine did have a full hour program each term about guidance counselors and not discriminating others with issues, but you know something; most people after the first two "seminars" brought their gameboys or just fell asleep after hearing the same message. It's reality that I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news for.

 

I wish people cared more even after the drama was over.

[AFriendlyFace]

I think it's wonderful that these people have moved on with their lives and not allowed this event to define them.

 

 

I really think moving past it and making the most of one's life should be ideal when faced with any such catastrophe. I'm delighted when people don't assume a victim's stance or allow themselves to be ruled by fear. I think going on and leading happy, productive lives without bitterness or fear is by far the best thing anyone can do!

 

Well done

 

-Kevin

Edited April 20, 2009 by AFriendlyFace

[Jack Frost]

To be frank, I didn't have that sort of fear that it would've happened at my own school.

 

Instead, I find it a huge annoyance to see my high school forbidding backpacks, restricting all entrances to one little door only every morning between 8:10am until 8:30am (the school had 1000 students). The occasional drug sweep that kept us locked in classroom for two-three hours for no good reason during our own f**king lunch periods. Development of zero-tolerance policies that turned out to be counterproductive and self-defeating. Daily cop hall montioring offered by the city. Installation of security cameras. Fake bomb threats.

 

So yeah, pre-Columbine is much better than the jerk-off measures that many schools still hold today that I considered no more than mere inconvidences. Thank god I graduated from that high school. My sister had much more freedom than I had during her high school days.

 

My university had its share of school shooting in 1992. Actually, since 1989, Montreal had four school shooting that each damn well shocked the whole country.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Jack Frost

[AFriendlyFace]

To be frank, I didn't have that sort of fear that it would've happened at my own school.

 

...

 

So, seeing that my city had experiences, it still doesn't flaze me as much. Perhaps I'm deluded from such possibility of violence happening and I prefer to be so instead of being forever overtaken by paranoia.

 

I remember the Columbia very well and it's always tragic. I don't want to be mean. I tend to remember quickly and then I move on very fast, so...

 

 

 

Now I don't feel as much like an insensitive jerk anymore. My original post in this thread pretty much expressed those sentiments, but I decided to edit it to be a bit nicer.

[methodwriter85]

Now I don't feel as much like an insensitive jerk anymore

 

Nah, saying that you didn't become paranoid about it happening to you isn't quite as jerky as some other stuff that was said here.

Edited April 20, 2009 by methodwriter85

[Krista]

Discussions about gun control and related matters should not be made in this thread. Please post in the The Soapbox forum if you want to debate those subjects.

[JamesSavik]

When I posted what I though about this subject it was removed and the thread was locked so I took it to my blog.

[W_L]

Nah, saying that you didn't become paranoid about it happening to you isn't quite as jerky as some other stuff that was said here.

 

Hey!

 

I agree too, but what I thought was true post columbine more than anything else was an overreaction that kids in my school really did not care about. I was one of the only guys that listened to the second seminar, but after the drudgery of the 2nd; I succumbed to the same malaise that everyone else began to have over school shootings and the continuous bombardment of message laden seminars preaching tolerance and acceptance.

 

By the way, I did train a level 70 Magikarp during those boring day! (Pokemon reference for the teenagers of the early 2000's)

[methodwriter85]

I think maybe it's more than just about teaching tolerance. Maybe it's more about making sure kids look out for the warning signs, that prevent stuff like this.

[Daisy]

I think maybe it's more than just about teaching tolerance. Maybe it's more about making sure kids look out for the warning signs, that prevent stuff like this.

 

it's about both.

but I don't think the warning signs are always that easy to spot. something similar nearly happened at my school, I know when I shouldn't - i was let into some confidential info about a friends brother. the intensity of his feelings were huge, yet I would never have guessed otherwise, although from then on I did try to encourage my friend to be nicer to her brother. I'm just glad that somebody else, a doctor, managed to notice something wasn't right beyond the normal teenage stuff. he's alright now as far as I know, at least he's living an interesting life.

 

celia

[Ieshwar]

I read this article yesterday and was deeply touched. I didn't know about this incident. But the way these people moved one is such a real story of determination and perseverence. I'm so glad that I came across this article.

 

Take care,

Ieshwar

[Tiger]

In life, no matter what circumstances occur, you can learn from it and become stronger than ever, even with that tinge of sadness and anger that never completely goes away. It's great to see how he's risen above it and created a good life for himself.