A letter to the kids who walked out
The Real Story – A Column – See below for all photos and videos which may be featured in.
To the students of Hillsboro—Spartans, Crimson Tide, Jaguars, Falcons, and every kid who joined in spirit, even if you couldn’t leave your classroom:
I want you to know something simple and permanent:
I saw you.
And I wasn’t the only one.
I watched you step out of the building and into the world like you already belonged there—because you do. I watched you hold signs that were funny, furious, tender, and fearless. I watched you hold hands. I watched you march as if your footsteps were sentences, and your silence—when you chose it—was its own kind of thunder.
Some of your signs were gentle: “Don’t deport the fine papas.” Some were blunt: “Stop ripping families apart.” Some were the kind of truth adults spend years avoiding: “This isn’t about politics. It’s about humanity.” And some of you carried the words that should never have to be carried by teenagers at all: “Dreams are not illegal.” “No human is illegal.”
You took the long way on purpose—not because it was easy, but because it mattered.
You walked from Hillsboro High School. Then—like a spark hitting dry cedar—you were joined by South Meadows Middle School students, waiting and ready. They didn’t just watch you pass. They joined you. And suddenly it wasn’t a handful of kids anymore. It was a current.
By the time you reached Shute Park, you weren’t “a walkout.” You were a movement with a heartbeat.
There were volunteers from HUMAN helping all along the way in purple and green vests, walking the edges—present but not controlling, supportive but not taking your moment away. Some brought water. Some drove the route to keep an eye out. Parents and friends you do not know were watching too- and being guardians to protect this event so it could be yours. I am uncertain who else helped because this was your event, organic and not planned by any of us older folks. Yes, Hillsboro City Hall knew and were supporting you- their absence, I am certain, was because this was your moment and day to own. Hillsboro Police knew and were keeping regular patrols and watchful eyes out – we all thank them. And I am sure others I can never know about helped so much- but this was you, all of you, that this day forever belongs to.
Many of us made a quiet promise: we will not let something happen to these kids today. Not in this climate. Not with fear in the air. Not with stories traveling around our city about people being taken.
And then, at Shute Park, something happened that I won’t forget.
In the middle of all that energy—music in your voices, fire in your signs, the strange joy that can exist even in protest—one of you received a call. A cousin. A brother in everything but paperwork. A loved one being deported to a place he doesn’t know, a place where he may not be safe.
And your friend collapsed under the weight of it.
I watched classmates move toward him without hesitation. Not for a photo. Not for attention. For love. A circle formed. A protective dome of bodies and hands. A prayer circle. A human shelter. In that moment, you showed everyone watching what community actually is: not a slogan, not a speech, not a hashtag—a reflex to protect each other.
Adults cry in private. You cried in public and still kept walking.
That is not weakness. That is strength with a soul.
When you left Shute Park and continued toward the Civic Center, the message grew bigger than any single school. You weren’t marching to “cause trouble.” You were marching to the place where decisions are made. You were doing what democracy looks like when it’s still alive.
I arrived at City Hall ahead of you and sat quietly, looking up at that beautiful building—glass reflecting trees older than most of us, a courthouse across the way that has seen every version of “justice” this region has ever produced. And I thought: What does justice mean to teenagers who are watching family members disappear? What does “due process” mean when fear spreads faster than facts? What does “liberty and justice for all” mean when “all” starts to feel conditional?
Then I heard you coming.
First, the roar of one school. The Glencoe Crimson Tide students came pouring in, organized and loud, some 200-plus strong. They rallied, they chanted, they cheered and circled and danced – hearing that soon the Hillsboro High students were arriving in mass.
Others joining. Cross-town rivals becoming one crowd—cheering, hugging, chanting, uplifting each other. Liberty Falcons showed up, a big group from Century High made the long walk, and the Jaguars were in the house. Then, as the crowd was really forming, the Spartan Blue Wave hit – it seemed students from every direction were pouring in like water – and the noise and excitement went up 5 times. The crowd was crazy, the energy was out of this world, and we all felt it. So thick it was I could move my hands through it – you all did that.
And for hours, you spoke.
No script. No adult program. No polished PR. Just teenagers—raw, honest, unfiltered—saying what too many grown-ups have been too careful to say out loud.
You circled that big Christmas tree downtown—lit at Holly Days in celebration while many families stayed home out of fear—and it looked like a scene from the future: lights and ornaments above, and beneath them a generation refusing to accept a life lived in hiding.
If anyone wants to understand the “power of one,” they should study your day.
Because the truth is: this whole thing began the way history often begins—not with a committee, not with a big budget, not with permission.
It began with a few students deciding:
“Enough.”
And then, within 48 hours, it spread.
That’s the part adults forget: ideas move. Courage is contagious. One voice can become many voices—and once that happens, the world has to respond.
Here’s what I want you to take with you, long after the posters are recycled and the chants fade:
1) You are not alone.
Even when it feels like you are. Even when the internet lies. Even when grown-ups disappoint you. You are not alone. Hillsboro saw you. People you’ve never met were moved by you.
2) Your fear doesn’t disqualify you—it proves you understand what’s at stake.
Bravery isn’t the absence of fear. Bravery is walking anyway.
3) The way you cared for each other was the message.
Your signs mattered. Your words mattered. But your love mattered most. That’s what made it powerful.
4) This is how change starts—messy, human, imperfect, real.
Movements aren’t born fully formed. They’re born the moment someone decides to act.
5) You are the cavalry.
If you’re waiting for someone to arrive and fix it—an adult, a leader, a hero—hear me clearly:
You are already who you’ve been waiting for.
I’m going to keep doing what I know how to do: tell your story with my cameras, my pen, and my keyboard. I will keep documenting what’s happening in our city. I will keep putting truth in front of people who would rather look away.
And I will keep saying this part out loud:
Hillsboro’s future showed up yesterday.
It had backpacks, sneakers, handmade posters, and a kind of courage that can’t be taught—only chosen.
To every student who walked: thank you.
To every student who wanted to walk but couldn’t: I see you too.
To every parent who watched with pride and terror braided together: you’re not alone either.
This day belonged to the kids.
And the ripple you started?
It’s still moving.
—Dirk
HilHi – Class of ’81
“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. ” Dr. Seuss
“The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable, but the power of many working together is better.” Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Never, ever lose sight of the power of one individual American. They can have an unbelievable magnifying effect just by the very fact that they make up their mind to do so! H. L. Richardson
PHOTOS: HERE IS A LINK TO MY PHOTO ALBUM WITH WELL OVER 100 SHOTS AND SOME VIDEO TOO – Feel Free to take them for your use-
The Views From the AIR: Video 1 – From The Finish To The Start
Aerial Video #2 – Start To Finish
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I saw a foreign flag being raised and supported. I’d call it an invasion.
Oh come on… every nationality to ever flood into the US has a parade, tradition, driveway flags – heritage festivals. That is all part of being an American because we are all immigrants – every single one of us who came and took this Nation and all its lands from the First Nation people. In fact Millions of Americans display flags from their home countries tied to where there families come fron. Some of the most common are:
Mexican Flag: Often cited as being ubiquitous in the West and Southwest regions, and in cities with large Latino populations, to the point of being nearly as common as a state flag in some neighborhoods.
Irish and Italian Flags: Commonly seen in areas with large Irish or Italian communities, often in pubs or during heritage month celebrations and parades.
Canadian Flag: More common in northern border states, especially in “hockey country”.
Ukrainian Flag: In recent years, the Ukrainian flag has become notably more common in certain areas due to current events, displayed in solidarity with Ukraine.
Puerto Rican Flag: The Puerto Rican flag (which represents a U.S. territory, not a foreign country, but is a key cultural identifier) is also commonly seen.