TOPIC: 

According to USAToday, there have been 71 mass shootings in the US in 2023 as of February 15th. One of these includes a shooting at Montana State University, in which three undergrad students were killed and 5 victims were critically injured (Tanner, 2023). My piece will comment on the prevalence of mass shootings in our country and the impact it has on students.

RATIONALE: 

As a college student, the issue of school shootings directly impacts me and my peers. I’m sure I speak for many people when I say I believe schools should be safe places where young people don’t have to worry about being maimed or killed. However, when these types of news stories come out, there lies a concern in the back of my head that wonders if I or someone I know will be the next victim, and this is what I hope to express with my piece. 

PROPOSAL: 

This piece is meant to mimic a promotional ad for the university, with a group of students together under the WWU logo. However, the 5 students have halos and teardrops under their eyes, to make the viewer remember the lives of students who were lost in mass shootings. The drawing is overlayed with a gun’s target, and there’s writing which says “It happened at those other schools…and they were just like any of us.” I originally wanted to make a photo collage of students with similar overlays, but after thinking about it a little more, I decided a drawing would be a more tasteful and effective way to communicate my message. 

MATERIALS:

  • Graph paper
  • Pencil
  • Iphone camera
  • Images for reference & overlays
  • Editing software e.g. photoshop

WORKS CITED

Tanner, K. (2023, February 15). There have been 71 mass shootings in the US this year – in just 6 weeks. USA Today. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/15/mass-shootings-us-2023/11262414002/