Beech Grove High School student raises money for school security

BEECH GROVE, Ind (WISH) – A Beech Grove student is taking the initiative to help make her school district safer.

She started a GoFundMe page to raise money for extra security in her district. The idea came after February’s deadly mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. 

In the classroom, sophomore Alyssa Hockett is a model student who loves to learn. 

“My favorite subject is I would have to say is physics,” Hockett said. 

But, there’s one subject that is always on her agenda.

“I heard what happened at Santa Fe High School in Texas. As soon as I started reading about it, my principal said, ‘Hey, we want to talk to you about it,”‘ Hockett said. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first conversation. After Parkland, where a gunman killed 17, Beech Grove began assessing security within the district. A buzzer system to unlock the doors and resource officers at every school were some of the measures in place. 

Hockett said she took the initiative and met with the principal to discuss what more could be done. 

“Told her what I wanted to help fundraise some money to add extra security measures in addition to the ones already in place,” Hockett said. 

They came up with a plan to raise money for a lock system called Barracuda. 

“It locks the door to where nobody can get in despite any efforts to do so,” Hockett said. 

To cover the doors within the district’s six schools would cost around $32,000. Beech Grove High School Principal Elizabeth Walters is behind Hockett. 

“She is looking to really change the climate and culture in terms of how students respond and react and think about crises that might happen in buildings,” Walters said. 

Taking the initiative, Hockett said she hopes to keep her school safe. 

“Beech Grove is an amazing school,” she said. 

In addition to the GoFundMe page, the school will also have fundraising events and people can drop off checks or money orders at the school.