Gun Violence In Schools

The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at Carthage College offers students in all majors the opportunity to engage in collaborative full-time research with professors. Students work closely with faculty mentors on a new or developing line of research. My studies were concentrated in the Arts. Under the guidance of Prof. Ryan Peter Miller and representing the Arts and Humanities at Carthage, I created four paintings focused on Gun Violence in Schools; My goal is to educate others and raise awareness of this preventable crisis plaguing children and young adults in the U.S.

As of December 2023, more than 338,000 students have experienced gun violence at school in the United States since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. Children who witness the violence or hide behind locked doors to hide from school shootings are severely traumatized. As the number of gun violence incidents continues to increase, the U.S. government has done little to prevent future shootings. Mass shootings have become one of the most common political issues my generation continues to raise concerns about, and we feel it is falling on deaf ears. 

Beneath the Surface | Acrylic on canvas | 40 inch x 30 inch | 2023

All So Familiar | Acrylic on canvas | 30 inch x 20 inch | 2023

Locks, Lights, Out of Sight...Right? | Acrylic on canvas | 40 inch x 30 inch | 2023

Unheard Echoes | Acrylic on canvas | 30 inch x 20 inch | 2023

Through this series of paintings, I hope to raise awareness of the horror of gun violence in schools by depicting the shooter's viewpoint, the lead-up, and the students' chaos and traumatization.  

Gun violence in schools is a very important and tragic issue that our country’s young generations shouldn’t have to deal with. I want viewers to learn about the lack of protocols and regulations in our schools and communities; and ask how they can help change this narrative for future generations. 

You can find statistics looking at David Reidman's K-12 School Shooting Database and Everytown for Gun Safety, as well as how to stop shootings and gun violence in schools using these resources. 

Additionally, this Washington Post interactive article offers a deeply sobering, visual breakdown of mass shootings in America, highlighting both the scale and human impact of this ongoing crisis. (Updated November 3, 2023)