High school senior Addisynn Laliberte spent the night of Jan. 29 painting as many protest signs as her energy supply and CVS budget allowed.
“I had some paint left over from projects that I was able to use but had to go buy some poster paper from our local CVS,” she said. “I encouraged people to bring signs, but I made so many because I didn’t think people would. Next thing I know, I see a flood of people walking and almost everybody had one.”
On Jan. 30, the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School student led a campus walkout to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.
Inspired by the nationwide movement to boycott work and school that Friday, Laliberte set out to organize an event to show solidarity.
“I had become very emotional for the past few days prior to the protest, just seeing everything online. It was just really heartbreaking, and I have a lot of friends that are being affected,” Laliberte told the Sun. “I know some people in my close-knit friends that couldn’t leave the house that day because ICE was local, or they were worried sick for their parents.”
Before committing to organizing the protest, Laliberte wanted to come up with a way for students who weren’t comfortable with missing a full day or leaving campus to participate.
Her solution: a walkout during students’ lunch break.
“My original idea was that we walk out at 11:30 and we stand by the flagpole, and we protest, … and then by the time that class comes around, we all kind of go back, or we go home,” she said. “We ended up moving locations and staying way past school even ending. Not my original plan—but better. … A lot more people than I anticipated decided not to go back to class, [probably] the majority.”
Some affirmative honks from drivers on Highway 246 followed the group as students began moving away from campus, Laliberte explained.
“We decided to walk alongside the highway, [staying] on the bike path. Once we kind of spread out there, that’s where I kind of felt—I’m searching for the word—the loudness of it,” she recalled. “I think everyone in the crowd became very proud of what they were doing.”
Prior to the walkout, the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District sent an email to Laliberte’s mother and other parents with the subject line: school expectations and student safety.
“We have been made aware of communication circling on social media about a potential student protest scheduled to take place during lunch on Friday,” the Thursday, Jan. 29, email stated. “Although this is not a school or district-sponsored event, as a democracy, we do not want to silence student voices. We believe civil engagement is a vital part of student learning, and we are committed to supporting student expression in constructive and meaningful ways.”
While noting the district’s commitment to ensuring student safety, the email disclosed that students leaving campus for the walkout wasn’t permitted under school rules.
While video clips of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School students’ walkout surfaced on TikTok and Instagram, so did footage of Lompoc Valley students rallying outside of Lompoc and Cabrillo high school campuses.
“Lompoc Unified School District confirms that it had some students at secondary schools participate in peaceful, lawful protests and walkouts on Friday,” Communications Specialist Caasi Chavez said via email on behalf of the district.
“Staff were well aware and prepared for the possibility,” Chavez continued. “We recognize that students have First Amendment protection while at school and work, so we inform them of these rights, document absences accordingly, and monitor students who choose to participate.”
Feb. 18 will mark the one-year anniversary of a multi-school walkout and march in Santa Maria to protest ICE tactics. It was led by Cesar Vasquez, who graduated from Santa Maria High School in 2025.
The Sun asked Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Public Information Officer Kenny Klein if his district was aware of any high school students who organized similar walkouts in the Santa Maria Valley on Jan. 30.
“No, not that we know of,” Klein replied via email.