On Feb. 10, 2026 at about 12:45 p.m., DGS made the brave move to walk out of school to protest anti-ICE practices. Freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors all collectively started towards the Downtown Downers Grove area where there was a set meeting point for DGS, DGN and Hinsdale South.

The walkout from within the school was characterized as hectic and passionate as students exited out of the west events door. Many students held signs or had notebooks with words that took up the entire page to protest their outrage.

The student body was split in half as some periods were now filled with half their number of original students. Although these students made the courageous choice to sacrifice their education and extracurriculars in the day, students, like Sophia Bellezza, aren’t upset or feeling guilt about their choices. Instead, they’re proud of their uprising.

“I really strongly believe in basic human rights… so it felt like a moment where I could actually use my voice especially because we’re too young to vote and we can’t really do anything to make a difference. So we were given the opportunity to stand up for what we believe in,” Bellezza said

Being proud is not the only trait that these protesting students possess, they are strong in the face of consequence. Students weren’t the only ones who made posters, but when the school got wind of the potential walkout that would occur, they made sure that students knew the consequences to their actions.

There were signs posted on the west events doors stating the detention time that would take place if students left campus unexcused while also sending out a lengthy email from Principal Arwen Lyp. However, both of these warnings did not stop the students from parading out of the doors and towards the downtown area.

When senior Mia Krezel was asked why she continued to walk out knowing the consequences, she said, “I thought it was doing something good or supporting a good cause,” Krezel said.

These protests that have to do with real world issues are shown to not only affect those who are being targeted, but those who have a personal connection and a deep feeling of empathy.