Parkland Shooting Survivor Urges Students to Press On
*By Christian Smith*
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School's newest graduates carry with them a tragic burden, but the memory of the deadly mass shooting should not hold them back, said Darren Levine, an English teacher at the school.
"We are not moving on really," Levine said Monday in an interview with Cheddar. "We're moving forward. Our backpacks are a lot heavier, but we're continuing on."
The school's senior class graduated on Sunday at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., without four of their classmates. They were among the 14 students and three faculty members killed when a gunman went on a shooting rampage at the school in February.
This year's graduation ceremony was understandably heavier than past celebrations, said Levine, who graduated from Douglas himself in 2002. "It was more of a calm, solemn type of feel," he said.
Jimmy Fallon, the host of "The Tonight Show," surprised the graduating class with [a hopeful speech](https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/03/us/jimmy-fallon-parkland-graduation/index.html) that included a dose of humor to lighten the mood.
"Today you're graduating from high school," Fallon said. "You should feel incredibly proud of yourselves. That doesn't mean you should rest on your [laurels ー or your yannys](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/science/yanny-laurel.html)."
Fallon said that the silly debate over what sound different people hear will dissipate by the end of the summer, but the deeper bonds forged by the Douglas graduates' shared experience will last long after graduation, when they're "adults who Facebook search each other at two in the morning for the next 10 years."
When that shared burden gets difficult, Fallon said the graduates should "remember that it gets better."
"Choose to move forward," he said. "Don't let anything stop you."
Marjory Stoneman Douglas students have been unbowed since the shooting on February 14. They have lobbied Congress to change the country's gun laws, rallied communities to confront gun violence by organizing the March for Our Lives in Washington, and called on people who care about the issue to register to vote ahead of November's midterm elections.
Levine has led some of the students' trips to Washington to meet with lawmakers, and he said he was optimistic about the prospects for new gun control measures, though change will not happen quickly, he said.
"I understand this might not happen in my lifetime, unfortunately, but that doesn't mean it can't happen one day," Levine said.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school-teacher-offers-students-post-graduation-advice).
Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, joins Cheddar News to discuss the company launching billboards across the country in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
President Biden has announced an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including artillery, armored personnel carriers, and helicopters. It comes as Russian forces appear to be preparing for a new, aggressive offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine. Paul McLeary, defense reporter for Politico, joined Cheddar to discuss this new round of aid and what it means for the U.S. commitment to arming the embattled country.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 18, 2022, with Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian city of Lviv killing seven, mass shootings in South Carolina and Pittsburgh, Lucky Charms cereal under official investigation by the FDA, and more.
Activism is growing around the country in response to school boards banning books from shelves that focus on sexuality, gender, identity, or race. Jen Cousins, co-founder of The Florida Freedom to Read Project, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, President Biden has announced a ban on importing Russian oil, gas, and energy. To discuss how this ban will impact the war and Americans, Amir Handjani, non-resident fellow at Quincy Institute, joins Cheddar News.
Thousands of protesters around the world are expressing their solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's invasion.
Jason Beardsley, national executive director of the Association of the U.S. Navy and national security expert, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As gas prices surge amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, other nations could potentially transition faster to using clean energy than previously expected. Philip K. Verleger, a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, joined Cheddar News to explain how this could be a possibility in the near future. "Part of the reason I think we have this invasion and the tantrum that's being thrown by Russia, terrible tantrum, is because the Russians were trying to slow down the transition," he said. "Ironically they speeded it up."
Following the invasion of Ukraine, a multitude of Western companies have paused doing business with Russia. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Starbucks are the most recent companies to temporarily cease operations in Russia. Dean of Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, John Quelch, joined Cheddar News to discuss what message this sends to Russia and the Russian consumer. “I would not underestimate the collective strength of all of these multinational companies, essentially coming together to make their collective statement in support of the political statements that have come out of Washington," he said.
The war in Ukraine continues to reveal heartbreaking gut-wrenching stories. The war in itself is not only devastating but also expensive. Experts estimate that Russia is draining nearly $20 million dollars each day to continue occupying and invading Ukraine. All this could force the country to turn to cryptocurrencies. It's a major turn for the country that briefly considered outlined digital assets entirely, but it could also have serious implications for cryptos. Managing Director at Quantum Fintech Group, Harry Yeh, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
