The sudden death of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk came as a shock to many people. He was assassinated on September 10 while debating with students from Utah Valley University. The event was planned by Turning Point USA, which is a conservative organization that Kirk founded. Kirk founded the organization at 18, and since then, it has become a major non-profit organization with a mission “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.” Junior Sara Jo Pierce shares about her involvement in the community and what she has done to honor Charlie Kirk.

“We had a memorial for Charlie Kirk the other day and a couple of hundred people came out and we had candles and a remembrance ceremony with some videos that were playing. I also spoke at this event.” Pierce said. “It is very important to me because it is something that has an impact on the entire world.”

Pierce shares her feelings about this and says that she learned about the assassination from a friend and after hearing about Kirk, she investigated.

“I got to know more about him and just became fascinated in him and what he did.” Pierce said.

Students learned to respect Kirk as an activist despite their different political beliefs. Head of the Young Democrats Club, senior Gabrielle Culberson shares her views on Charlie Kirk as a political activist.

“I thought he was a good debater, even though I did not agree with everything he said or believed. I still think it was good that he went to college campuses and got people involved,” Culberson also stated that despite different political views, “It is never justifiable to try and hurt someone just because they believe in different things.”

The impact of Kirk has driven students to try and make a difference in their own community. Pierce comments on the impact she felt from Kirk and that it has motivated her to take action.

“I definitely think Charlie Kirk has had an impact on us, especially after he was assassinated. We are trying to get a new chapter started, and we are in the process of bringing it to Darlington.” Pierce said. The chapter Pierce refers to is a local branch of the organization Turning Point USA.

“We are trying to influence people, educate them and just spread the messages he gave and spread the influence he brought to the people he spoke to.” Pierce said.