Greenwich HS Shows Its Support of Newtown

In a remarkable display of solidarity, the 2,800-member Greenwich High School student body gathered in the Student Center this week to show their support of the Newtown community.

An acre in size, the student center was a sea of students and staff—totalling 3,000—who stood shoulder-to-shoulder for the somber 10-minute ceremony that featured the school's Chamber Singers performance of "Amazing Grace," in the assembly held Dec. 18.

GHS Headmaster Chris Winters said, "Most of us know Newtown as our competitors on the athletic fields or in academic competition ... today we show the Newtown community that Greenwich supports them and stands united in revulsion of the senseless violence that caused so much pain."

Winters continued, "We stand here today, 3,000 strong in the Greenwich High School community to say to the students, staff and families of Newtown 'You are not alone, we in Greenwich are with you.'

School Superintendent William McKersie told the assembly, "We need to see the light. We have to find the light and the hope that was in those 20 young lives." McKersie asked the students and staff to raise their hands and they recited "I will carry the light for Newtown."

The ceremony also included the reading of each victim's name with a haunting bell toll after each one.

"All we can say is 'Newtown we are with you,'" said Jonathan Muhlrad, the student government president.

The high school recorded the event which has been posted to their web site. To view the entire ceremony, please click here.

They will be sending the banner, the video and photographs to Newtown.