It was a quiet Tuesday at Edison High School on September 25, 2012. Most students and teachers had just found out that football player and senior student, Marquis Sutton had been shot and killed. Sutton was walking with a friend on the busy intersection on Ashlan and Marks when he had been shot at around 7pm. Police stated that they had received a call shortly after 7pm about a man on the sidewalk. After arriving, officials rushed Marquis to the hospital where he later died.It was a shock to many students and teachers that something terrible had happened to Marquis. Students say that Marquis never got into trouble. He was a nice kid and loved to play football.
[pullquote_right]It was a shock to many students and teachers that something terrible had happened to Marquis.[/pullquote_right]Facebook statuses, twitter feeds, and instagram photos were being posted reminiscing upon memories of our fellow friend, Marquis Sutton. Close friends, distant friends, even strangers, asking, pondering upon what had happened. Friends sending their condolences, their pain flooding in with words, all the way down his facebook wall.
Marquis was an admirable friend that turned heads left and right. He had the heart of an angel, and was as sweet as can be. If you were feeling down, he’d make silly jokes and tried to make you smile. The little things he did to simply put you into a better mood was who he was. He would smile at you in the halls, even if you didn’t know him. Not only was Marquis a good friend, he was also a member on our varsity football team as wide receiver/defensive back.
The greatness of Marquis that permeated every inch of his friends lives was striped from them when they heard the terrifying news.
Despite this, my peers were able to get out of bed, and come to school in his loving memory. The campus has never been so quiet; the footsteps that walked along the pavement never engraved such a silence than it had today. Classrooms weren’t full of laughter, but instead it was filled with welcoming hugs, and thoughtful condolences to the mourners. There was not a place I walked by, where cheeks weren’t flushed and eyes weren’t puffy. There were enough tears that could make a whole ocean envious.
That day, Edison High came together as a family, we as one tiger, many stripes, we put aside our differences and gave our support and warmth to those mourning over this dreadful loss. In the announcements we gave our silence in respect of his farewell. During lunch, our whole campus gathered around the amphitheater to sign banners dedicated to our great friend. Not one negative thing was said about him, there wasn’t anything bad to say about Marquis.
Marquis was a joy to be around, he was thankful for what he was given, and he was someone who had so many opportunities ahead of him. He knew what he wanted, and for now, we’ll keep him in our hearts, and hope he’s resting in peace.
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In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
