Having to take out your Chromebook, binders, and water bottles every morning just to walk through a metal detector seems very tedious to most students, but this daily occurrence is one that makes Cypress a safer school. From 1990 to 2024, there has been a substantial increase in the number of school shootings and threats towards schools across the United States with the highest number of shootings reported in 2023. A student poll was recently conducted at Cypress Lake. The main question asked was, “On a scale of 1-5, how much do you worry about gun violence at schools?” with 1 being unconcerned and 5 being consistently worried. Over 50% of students reported their worry as a 3 or higher. The SAVE Promise Club at Cypress aims to help alleviate these fears.
The SAVE Promise club was developed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012. The acronym “SAVE” in SAVE Promise stands for “Students Against Violence Everywhere.” It is the largest student-led violence prevention club in the United States with over 5,000 developed chapters, and over 126,000 student participants across the country. The SAVE Promise Club works closely with students, staff, and families to educate them about ways to prevent violence. The “Know the Signs” Program educates members on recognizing the warning signs of potential violence and inspires them to help the person seek assistance.
Our chapter here at Cypress Lake meets on the last Friday of every month. Their work helps ensure that our school remains aware and protected. Mrs. Knudsen, the sponsor, describes SAVE as “a place of recognizing kindness and safety.”
Jace McCrumb, the club’s vice president, describes what the club does. “In SAVE Promise club we work together to create many opportunities for students to engage with each other in positive ways and encourage them to reach out to people that they wouldn’t usually talk to. We really brighten our community, and I think we have a positive effect on our school because we did things like putting together the kindness rock garden, and we colored puzzle pieces to represent inclusion. Our overall purpose is to promote unity and togetherness, and we encourage positivity and discourage bullying at our school in order to make it a better place.”
Make the promise to our school and our nation by joining the SAVE Promise Club.