Will Bohn

Meghan Lynch and Charles Giraud who are the co-founders of Students Demand Action, one of only two in Missouri.

Gun violence is nothing new to the students at American high schools. To help combat this terrifying fact, a new club has emerged at our school. 

SDA, also known as Students Demand Action, is a club that hopes to help bring awareness to the dangers of gun violence in schools nationwide. Students Demand is an organization created in 2018, funded by Everytown For Gun Safety. 

There are currently only two SDA clubs in Missouri, our school being one of the two. 

“I’m right now in contact with the other branch of Student Demand Action in the state of Missouri, which is in the Parkway School District,” Charles Giraud (11) said, who is one of the Co-Founders of the club here at our school. “We’re hopefully going to go to events together with our Student Demand Action Club and their Students Demand Action Club outside of the school district boundaries.”

By going outside of just school boundaries the club will be able to introduce this club to a number of students who may not even know that this club is an availability.

Giraud first found out about SDA a year ago. He has a huge passion in government work and found out about gun violence and how prevalent it is in the Missouri area. After stumbling across the organization he decided to join the Nationwide Movement. 

After doing some research and learning more about the club he got into contact with the Missouri coordinator, finding out he could help the movement by starting the SDA club at our school. 

To be able to be a part of something this big and nationwide allows students to feel connected to not only their school but also their community. To have an outlet on such a heavy matter can allow students to become, even if it’s small, a part of something bigger than themselves.

“It feels very nice to know that, even in the smallest way, you’re changing something that is so big,” Maddie Mitchell (11) said, who is the Event Planner for the club. 

To help gain more members, the SDA board plans to reach out and find others that are interested. The board has multiple different ideas for this school year but one that they hope to pursue is doing a bake sale, “I really want to do a bake sale and then donate the funds to a local women’s shelter, because they’re often victims of gun violence,” co-founder Meghan Lynch (11) said.

If you are interested in joining the club please contact Giraud, [email protected], or Lynch, [email protected].