Posted in the hallways and in classrooms is a laminated white paper labeled “Vivian Edward’s Pledge,” but for the past few years, it has gone increasingly unnoticed.

Vivian Edwards, a counselor who transferred to Parkway West from a St. Louis City high school at the beginning of the Voluntary Transfer Program in the 1980s, is whom the pledge honors.

“As an African American and as a Guidance Counselor, Vivian wanted to help the students from the city adjust to life in the predominantly white suburbs,” former principal Beth Plunkett said.

While principal Jeremy Mitchell never met Edwards, her legacy as a counselor has withstood the test of time.

“I have always heard that she was such a wonderful, dedicated counselor. She apparently was one of those people who knew everyone’s names, knew every kid personally and knew about any issues that the students might have been struggling with,” Mitchell said.

This pledge was created 14 years ago, and was then revised in 2010. However, 50 percent of students have never heard of it, and 37 percent of students have heard of it, but do not know what it is. In October of 2001, Edwards was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in February 2002.

“The 2001-2002 school year was an extremely difficult one. When we needed Vivian the most, sadly, she was unable to help,” Plunkett said.

Four students that year also passed on after Edwards’ death. To add to the year’s sorrow, the 9/11 attacks also occurred leading to building discrimination and violence amongst the student body.

“In response to the hatred that promoted the events of Sept. 11 and to ease the pain of such significant loss of life within our own community, we wrote ‘Vivian’s Pledge’,” Plunkett said. “It is a covenant that challenges each member of the West High community to stand firmly against intolerance and hatred of any sort.”

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This pledge was created 14 years ago, and was then revised in 2010. However, 87 percent of students have never heard of it, or have heard of it but don’t know what it means.

“All the counselors went to a training through Safe Zone, and the focus was LGBTQ,” counselor Jenn McLane said. “We needed to come up with a goal that we would implement in school to honor the LGBTQ [community], and one teacher suggested to recycle the use of Vivian’s Pledge.”

On Friday, Jan. 22 the faculty and staff members wore t-shirts with part of Vivian’s pledge encircling #NO H8. A Common Ground in March will rededicate the pledge.

“There are many projects in the making to promote Vivian’s pledge, such as ‘Multicultural Day’ and ‘Lunch and Learns’ where students, parents or faculty members can share their stories,” McLane said.

Parkway West plans to continue to spread the word about the mission of fulfilling Vivian’s Pledge.

“We want students to understand that Vivian’s Pledge isn’t just one more motto we put on our walls,” McLane said. “We’re going to live by it.”