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WMU don blue and white for Perry
WMU students and staff wore blue and white to show support for Perry CSD
WINFIELD — Winfield Mt. Union students and staff joined those across the state showing their support for the Perry High School community following a school shooting last week.
“Our hearts are heavy today, and our prayers are with the Perry Community,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said at the Thursday, Jan. 4 afternoon press conference. “This strikes to the heart of everything we hold dear. This senseless tragedy has shaken our entire state to the core, and I want this community to know that every Iowan stands with you.”
After assuring parents that their WMU students were safe, school administration asked students and staffs to wear blue and white last Friday to show their support of the Perry Community School District.
“I just think it is a good way to show support for a community that has experienced a pretty huge tragedy,” WMU School Counselor Sierra Wyse said. “It’s something that I can’t even wrap my brain around or try to understand how much hurt was involved. Not just from the act itself, but then the aftermath that’s going to impact that community.”
“So, being able to wear blue and white is a really simple way we can show support and let them know that we’re thinking about them,” she said.
With students ranging from preschool through 12th grade, the awareness of the event in the student body varies greatly.
With social media, Wyse believes most of the older students are aware of the reason behind wearing blue and white Friday, but many of the elementary students might have significantly less information.
Supporting students in those grades between elementary and high school is a little more difficult as the amount of information available to them varies a lot from one student to another despite being in the same grade.
“This is the closest one to home that I am aware of,” Wyse said of the Perry High School shooting.
As the student body navigates feelings in Wyse is there to help, and she believes WMU’s students are doing well.
“I have son in fifth grade so, when I heard about the shooting and specifically about the sixth-grader that was killed, I was just like ‘oh my goodness,’” Wyse said. “It just makes me want to like hold on tight.”
“Tomorrow, I have class with all the sixth-graders, and I just want to give all of them like a big ‘ol hug and just let them know that they’re loved,” Wyse said.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
