On March 5, 2025, five speakers from REACH (Remember, Educate and Combat Hate) spoke to the junior and senior social studies classes. The speakers are family members or survivors of the synagogue shooting that happened on October 27, 2018, in Squirrel Hill. In the weeks leading up to the event, the students watched “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life,” to teach them about the attack. Then the students and their teachers had a chance to hear from people who were directly involved and find out how it had impacted their lives. Students asked many questions and the speakers were kind enough to provide their insight.
This event was inspired by the Eradicate Hate Student Summit last fall. Students from the SAVE Promise Club (sponsored by Lauren Rowe) and the PBIS Team Titans Club (sponsored by Christine O’Lare) attended the event and were asked to develop an action plan to make our school a welcoming place for all. They were introduced to REACH, the 10.27 Healing Partnership, and Teen Screen, organizations that made this all possible.