No teenager enjoys being confined all day in school. Etowah students attend an open campus, so people walk across campus throughout the school day.

‘’It’s not as safe as other schools, but it is nice to walk outside,’’ Jacob LeFevers, sophomore, said.

Big open campuses run the risk of being under a red alert when it comes to safety. They are a target for people who want to do harm to students, since large groups of them are outdoors at various points. While a closed campus maybe considered safer, being confined has its own dangers–people are accumulated in one building.

‘’I take threats at school serious since this is an open campus, and I don’t feel as safe,’’ Sarah Patterson , sophomore, said.

Last month, Etowah received serious threats from students causing  a frenzy and the reinforcement of extra security at the school. These threats started out as rumors and then began to circulate around social media. The threats were taken seriously and with precaution.

“The drills that we practice are really helpful and help me stay safe if something happens,” Diana Garcia, junior, said.

Last spring, Woodstock High School had to go on lockdown when one student attacked another..

‘’I feel safer at Etowah due to its open campus rather than a closed campus like Woodstock. There is a risk in small areas,’’ Jackson Pawlan, junior, said.

In school, drills are performed at various points throughout the year. These include fire drills, tornado drills, lockdowns, and code red drills. These are simulations that teach students what to do, to prepare them for real life situations and to teach them how to act accordingly and safely.

‘’I don’t feel that anything will happen to me while attending this school. I feel very safe at Etowah,’’ Nikki Reid, junior, said.