Smith Vocational students pay tribute to Newtown victims with vigil

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Northampton students and teachers held a candlelight vigil Thursday afternoon in honor of the victims of last week's school massacre.

The vigil was held after classes were let out at Smith Vocational High School.

Dozens of students, teachers and administrators lit 26 candles in honor of the 20 children and six adults murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday. Students also read poems and sang songs, as others embraced their classmates.  Many broke down in tears while the names of the first graders killed were read.

“I thought it was really good that our school was going to do something like this in support of the families that lost loved ones,” Smith Vocational junior Brittany Eastman said.

“It's just kids,” senior Alexis Svoboda said. “That could happen anywhere, just like us.”

“I was very upset and really sad that this happened,” sophomore Nashaelid Cintron said. “They were so little.”

The high school's forestry department made a wreath that was displayed during the vigil. It will lie next to the flag, which is flying at half staff in front of the school.

Thursday’s vigil at Smith Vocational was just one of many held across the Pioneer Valley in the last week.