Cherry Hill East ICE walkout

Zoey Dorn, Eastside Media Director • February 6, 2026

Earlier this morning, students at East participated in a student-led walkout addressing concerns about ICE policies and their impact on immigrant communities. The walkout began at 9:28 a.m., with hundreds of students gathering outside to listen to speeches and show solidarity. Organizers stated that the goal of the walkout was to raise awareness and stand in support of immigrant communities.

One of the main organizers Liz Zimmer (’26) said, “I’ve been here for four years and I didn’t think I would ever be able to do something like this. I really appreciate it, and I hope that you are all here for the right reasons and feel just as empowered as I do right now.”

The event concluded at 10:31 a.m. and remained peaceful throughout.

To read more about the protest against ICE, read “East students walk out in protest of ICE actions nationwide, by Elias Kang, Chloe Ren, Melanie Pedersen, Amelia Siegel, Zoey Dorn, and Lauren Rinehart.

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About the Contributors

Zoey Dorn, Eastside Media Director

Zoey Dorn is a sophomore and the Media Director for Eastside. At East, she participates in Fall Cheerleading, FOP, Road to Med, Holton’s Heroes, and Women in Business. Outside of school, she competes competitively for gymnastics and love spending time with her friends and family. Zoey cannot wait for her first year on the Eastside board!

Lauren Rinehart, Eastside Community Editor

Lauren Rinehart is a sophomore and a Community Editor for Eastside. She swims competitively for SJAC, Fox Hollow, and East, and participates in SGA, JSU Board, Chansons, and Interact. In her free time, Lauren loves eating ice cream, babysitting, and writing. On weekends, she can be found singing karaoke or binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy. Lauren can’t wait for her first year on Eastside!

Melanie Pedersen, Eastside Photo Editor

Melanie is a junior and Photo Editor who, to no surprise, loves taking photos! You’ll find her at sports games or music events, reporting photos back to Eastside and the Yearbook. Besides that, she is the president of Interact Club and is involved in DECA, SGA, Peer Leaders, and she plays both soccer and golf for East.