Portage Park Elementary School Holds Peace Rally After Loss Of Two Young Students, Online Threat

A Lot of Loss

Francisca Trevino remembers Serabi Medina as being a “very happy kid.”

Trevino was heartbroken in summer 2023 when Serabi was fatally shot by a neighbor. The 9-year-old girl was coming back from an ice cream truck near her home with two treats — one for herself and one for her dad — when her neighbor, Michael Goodman, came outside with a gun. Goodman shot Serabi as her father ran toward her.

Serabi was just a few weeks away from starting fourth grade at Reinberg.

Trevino teared up as she spoke about Serabi during a recent meeting at the school. She said it was difficult to explain the tragedy to her son, who was 11 at the time. Trevino also lost her father shortly before Serabi was killed.

“It was a lot of loss,” she said.

Trevino made ofrendas for Serabi at Reinberg, at home and at church. The school also organized a candlelit vigil, held healing circles for students, created a space where students could write notes about Serabi and gave out purple shirts since it was Serabi’s favorite color.

In December, Reinberg lost another student. Olivia Calderon, 7, died of a sudden illness, said André Armattoe, Reinberg’s restorative justice coordinator.

“It just was really shocking. We just were starting to heal from Serabi,” said Elizabeth Haave, co-chair of Reinberg’s Climate and Culture Team.

Ald. Ruth Cruz (30th) bought two benches for the school: One will have a plaque remembering Serabi, and the other will have one for Olivia, Armattoe said.

Changing The Conversation

On Friday afternoon, hundreds of Reinberg students streamed out of Reinberg, all wearing matching blue T-shirts that read, “There is no community without U and I.”

For the past two weeks, Reinberg students prepared for the peace rally by writing poems, making posters, chalking the school’s sidewalk, rehearsing a song and contributing colorful handprints to a banner that reads “peace.”

Cruz and Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado attended the rally, as did representatives from the Fire Department.

Haave said she wanted to show students there is a community of people in the neighborhood who care about them.

“We just want the students to look around and see all these amazing people who are here to keep them safe,” she said.

Reinberg eighth-grader Sarahi was nervous to come to school after she learned about the online threat, she said. The 13-year-old said talking with her teachers and the school’s security guard made her feel more secure.

“We know that there’s people around us that are here to protect us,” she said.

School Security Officer Marc Glaspie, who has worked at Reinberg for six years, said some students were nervous entering the school after the threat, but after chatting with him, many seemed more relaxed. Glaspie always tells parents that as soon as their kids walk through Reinberg’s front doors, they’re safe, he said.

Conclusion

The peace rally at Reinberg Elementary School was a powerful display of community and resilience in the face of tragedy and uncertainty. Despite the challenges the school has faced, the students, teachers, and staff remain committed to creating a positive and supportive environment. The rally was a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is always hope and always a community that cares.

FAQs

Q: What was the purpose of the peace rally at Reinberg Elementary School?
A: The purpose of the peace rally was to bring the community together and promote unity and peace after the loss of two young students and an online threat.

Q: How did the students prepare for the peace rally?
A: The students prepared for the peace rally by writing poems, making posters, chalking the school’s sidewalk, rehearsing a song, and contributing colorful handprints to a banner that reads “peace.”

Q: Who attended the peace rally?
A: The peace rally was attended by students, teachers, staff, Ald. Ruth Cruz, Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, and representatives from the Fire Department.

Q: What was the outcome of the peace rally?
A: The peace rally was a successful event that brought the community together and promoted unity and peace.