Graphic by Ryder Chasin ’14

A national movement has begun to wear blue and yellow or green and white on Mon., Dec. 17 in support of Newtown, Conn.

A Staples student may have been the first to come up with the now-national plan to rally around Newtown, wearing school colors on Monday.

With tragedy striking so close to home, Staples students had been searching for a way to support Newtown and the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Right after school on Friday, December 14, and just a few hours after the shooting ended, Marla Freidson ’14 posted in a Facebook group for Staples junior girls, called “Staples Girls 2014:”

I had the idea that maybe as a way to just show our support and thoughts towards those affected, that on this Monday, Dec. 17th, we could wear the school colors of Sandy Hook Elementary. What do you think?

The responses were very positive, and now students of all ages say they plan on wearing either blue and yellow, the Newtown High School colors, or green and white, the elementary school’s colors, on Monday, Dec. 17.

According to several news outlets, the R.I.P. Sandy Hook Elementary School Facebook group now urges others to wear either green and white or blue and yellow on Monday.

Was Freidson first to come up with this idea? “I did think of it, like, Friday,” Freidson said. “But I’m sure there were ton of others who thought of it at the same time or before me.”

Freidson added, “The next best thing is to at least somehow show that we are thinking and supporting the people affected.”

Other Staples students agreed and said they too plan to support the nearby community on Monday.

“Even if you don’t know someone there, it is still so tragic,” said Hannah Myers ’14, who plans on wearing the colors to show her support for the victims.

Mark Schwabacher ’13 agreed. “I feel it is important to show that we are standing in solidarity with the people of Newtown after this tragedy,” he said.

The rally for support has taken root at all levels of education. Sally McGee, a 7th grader at Bedford Middle School, is spreading the word to wear blue and yellow as well; her cause was taken up in Dan Woog’s 06880 blog this morning.

Recalling the different ways students have shown support for difficult situations or causes in the past, Friedson offered this idea for students to show their compassion and grief.

“I thought about how in past times when something happened we have all done something to show support, like with [leukemia patient,] Justin Slosberg ’14 and wearing purple, or on anti-bully day last year when everyone wore blue. I just thought it would be a good idea because I’m sure everyone is thinking they wish there was something they could do to make this better.”