By Celia Shanley
On March 15, between 20 and 30 Branford High School students walked out of school to protest inaction against Climate Change. Simultaneously, 1.6 million students in over 120 countries across the globe participated in the Climate Strike.
As part of the group of BHS students involved with the walk out, I walked towards the green with purpose that day. I was unaware of my shiny leather combat boots biting into the backs of my ankles or how my steps sunk lightly into the new layer of mud and thought only of what was ahead. The air was cool outside the protective layer of my winter coat. There was the unmistakable smell of damp earth that lingers just after after it rains.
The group waiting on the green greeted us warmly. There was a jumble of cheering, smiling faces, and signs painted blue and green.
The crowd echoed each speech with applause and cheers. Old and young voices blended together. One voice.
This colossal movement began with one 16 year old girl from Sweden. Greta Thumberg has been walking out of her school every Friday to protest inaction in solving the global climate crisis. Greta has started an organization known as Fridays for Futures and inspired a myriad of of young people around the world to show their solidarity with her and the planet. She was recently awarded the Prix Liberté and nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Greta’s action sparked Branford High School junior Stella Martone to organize a march here in Branford. Stella impressed the community with her work. She secured a police escort, local news coverage, and an appearance from First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove, who spoke in support of the event and other local environmental efforts.
Many people in the town community rallied behind us in support. Attendees of the first Earth Day and our generation’s activists met and inspired each other. People of all backgrounds, ages, and political mindsets were unified by this event.
Several passionate students and adults from a variety of organizations in the community gave moving speeches. Universal messages rang clear throughout all speeches, one being the imminent threat of looming environmental issues to a shoreline town such as ours. The threats of rising sea levels as a result of climate change and obscene amounts of plastic that threaten marine life are knocking right at our front door.
Students expressed frustration at looming threat of the irreversible effects of climate change and the lack of action to combat it. The sentiment of all young people at the rally was clear; this is our future, and if the older generations who caused this problem don’t do something to save it, we will. The students demonstrated with their action of walking out that they will be doing something to combat climate; with or without the support of adults.
Editor’s Note: Celia Shanley is a junior at BHS who participated in the walk out with other students.
