Renee Nichole Good, 37-year-old mom of three spent the final minutes of life in her maroon Honda, after dropping off her son at school. A car filled with stuffed animals, visible in the back seat replacing her son’s usual spot. She didn’t know these visuals would be her final surrounding upon her death. However, they were.  

On Jan. 7, Minneapolis resident Good was shot and killed by ICE agents. ICE claims that Good was endangering agents with her car, that their actions were done in self defense, despite local officials refuting this account by ICE. Nonetheless, this event marks a time of confusion for many Americans but also a mourning for a person’s life cut short.

The federal agency ICE is supported by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who claim that the process for sifting through U.S citizens is a genuine government interest. This agency is under the Department of Homeland Security. They describe their mission as, “[To] Protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety.” 

Because of this recent fatality, several protests have erupted across the nation. These demonstrations of opposition have been making headlines across all media outlets. The people of Philadelphia’s voices have occupied many screens this month as recently groups such as “Voices Rising Philly” have gathered to sing powerful songs including “Hatred Has No Place.”

Though this happened in Minneapolis, the response to this incident has sparked a familiar conversation regarding the impacts of protesting in communities everywhere, including high schools.

“I think that protests are an effective way for people to express concerns about national issues because it makes leaders take accountability in some way… ICE and No Kings Day protests around the country are showing the people leading our country that we do have concerns about some policies that they are implementing and it draws other people’s attention,” Ellie Schilling (11) said. 

Though the majority of high school students are under the age of eighteen, there are ways to allow their voices to be heard. Whether it’s by attending a protest or simply speaking through their beliefs, the students of Highlands High School value their opinions as their own form of expression.

“Just because you can’t vote doesn’t mean you can’t voice your opinion on national matters or try to have an influence. Young people can voice their opinions on anything they please and are just as entitled to it as any other person, no matter the age,” Ella Green (11) said.

Throughout this time of uncertainty and worry, one thing that students can do, regardless of age, is take the time to educate themselves and form opinions on matters concerning the world. Through this, they can find ways to bring their voice to light and spread their sentiment with their community. It may appear small, but each student’s words speak far louder than they may assume.