EVERETT — Some lessons learned at school are harder to comprehend than others.
They have no perfect answers.
Students and staff at Evergreen Middle School are grappling with that these days.
On Monday, classrooms emptied so the entire campus could march in silent remembrance of a student who died last week of an apparent suicide.
Later, several dozen students, many carrying signs, walked out between classes and streamed onto the sidewalks. They said they hoped it would bring attention to the need to stop bullying.
So far, there is no official explanation on what moved the girl to end her life.
The girl was 12 and in the seventh grade. Many of her classmates Monday wore yellow, her favorite color.
Over the weekend, classmates and parents visited the campus to put up posters and tie yellow ribbons.
Students chanted the girl’s first name as they walked through the front parking lot and paced the perimeter of the school Monday.
Everett police were called to the girl’s home Thursday evening, officer Aaron Snell said. As is standard procedure in such cases, the Major Crimes Unit is handling the death investigation.
The girl reportedly left a note.
“Information regarding the note is not being released,” Snell said.
Extra counselors were on campus Friday and Monday. It has been a difficult few weeks. On April 27, a Cascade High School senior, who also attended Everett Community College, took his life.
School district officials estimate more than 100 students participated in Monday’s walkout.
“We are not going to be taking any action in terms of student behavior today,” Everett School District spokeswoman Mary Waggoner said.
The goal is to get the campus back into a routine Tuesday, she said.
The school administration is open to discussing the bullying issue, Waggoner said.
“There will be conversations that will happen,” she said. District officials also said bullying can be reported to the student safety tip hotline, 425-385-5050.
Something needs to be done, Evergreen students and parents said Monday.
“I went to this school and I was bullied,” said Jolynn Traynor, whose daughter, Jessalynn Morgan, 12, participated in the walkout.
“I’m behind her 1,000 percent,” Traynor said.
Talk of a walkout spread quickly through social media and by word of mouth, Jessalynn said.
Jessalynn said she was prepared to accept whatever discipline might come her way.
“It’s for a good cause,” she said.
Pamela Harn, 12, also had her mother’s and grandmother’s blessing when she walked out. She considered the girl a good friend.
“She was such a smart, loving, kind girl,” Pamela said. “She made the best out of the worst and the best out of the best.”
Mary O’Connor, Pamela’s grandmother, watched from outside the school Monday.
“It was such a positive march,” she said. “It was just saying the bullying has to stop. I really hope this will help in their grieving process.”
A lasagna dinner fundraiser to help the girl’s family with funeral expenses is being organized. It is set for 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 20 at the Everett Eagles Club, 1216 Broadway, in Everett.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people between the ages of 10 and 19, according to the National Association of School Psychologists.
The organization offers several tips. It suggests asking the child if he or she is thinking about suicide and reassuring them that there is help and things won’t feel bad forever, The association also urges people to provide constant supervision of a potentially suicidal teen, to remove anything that could cause self-harm and to encourage them to contact help, from people such as a parent, teacher, counselor or school psychologist.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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