‘It Was Beautiful and Heartwarming’: Toms River Students Hold Immigration Rally on Their Own Terms
After walkouts swept through Central Jersey, Toms River High School North students chose a different path — music, speeches, and an afternoon of solidarity they designed themselves.
Allyson Olivera dances salsa during the student-led rally celebrating Latino culture and raising awareness about immigration concerns. (Courtesy: Kaelyn Magee)
Chris Howell | February 25, 2026
There was no walkout. No march through traffic. No disciplinary letters waiting in a portal.
Instead, students at Toms River High School North gathered after school Friday for something they intentionally designed to feel different. The rally was part protest, part cultural celebration, and part shared reckoning. For a few hours on a February afternoon, it was also just a group of teenagers choosing to show up for each other.
The Central Jerseyan spoke with several of the organizers.
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“It was honestly just fun to see each other. We were playing music, talking to each other, making speeches,” said Kaelyn Magee, a senior and co-president of the school’s politics club. “It was beautiful and heartwarming.”
Kalyn said the idea began about a month ago after a conversation with Allyson Olivera, president of the Hispanic Heritage Club, about fear spreading through the Hispanic community.
“ICE plays a huge part in our lives. And so we need to know how to talk about it, how to address it, and how to interact with it,” Kaelyn said.
For Allyson, the issue became painfully real when a close friend and active club member, Naidelyn, was detained along with her family. Naidelyn had previously spoken publicly about her nearly two months at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, describing inhumane food, limited toiletries, medical neglect, and overcrowded sleeping quarters. She shared her story again at Friday’s rally, and the effect on the crowd was immediate.
Allyson Olivera (right) and Naidelyn, who shared her ICE detention experience, at the student-led rally at Toms River High School North. (Courtesy: Kaelyn Magee)
This time, she placed her experience in direct contrast with the current administration’s stated immigration priorities. Her family had followed the rules, she said, always doing things “by the book.” They showed up in early October for what they understood to be a required immigration check-in, one of the standard checkpoints in the citizenship process. A few weeks later, she told classmates, they were detained. Naidelyn recounted her family being handcuffed and chained at the waist and feet “like criminals” and transported to the facility in Newark.
“None of those ladies back at Delaney Hall were criminals,” she said. “I am not a criminal. I was only an 18-year-old girl with dreams for her future, which were ripped away along with her peace.”
“You have no idea what people around you can go through,” Allyson said afterward.
That realization shaped the kind of event the organizers wanted to create.
They had watched walkouts unfold in other Central Jersey districts and discussed doing the same. But they landed somewhere different.
“We heard about a lot of walkouts and we thought about doing a walkout,” said Christopher Gioxaris, a student organizer. “The message we wanted to send out was love and not trying to battle this with hatred because two negatives don’t make a positive.”
Instead of walking out during school hours, they organized an after-school demonstration and stayed in regular communication with administrators throughout the planning process.
“There was pushback ahead of time in terms of concerns for safety for the students,” said Gage Alburger, co-president of the school politics club alongside Kaelyn. Some of the organizers described those concerns as well-intentioned.
“The administration wanted to show us all points of view and options on the table before we acted,” Kaelyn said.
Students gather outside Toms River High School North holding signs in support of immigrant communities. (Courtesy: Kaelyn Magee)
Superintendent Michael Citta addressed the event in a statement, citing the district’s mission to “develop students into lifelong learners who are socially responsible and able to adapt to the present and future challenges of a complex world.”
While the district could not host a rally or protest of a political nature on school grounds, he said, students were encouraged to share their personal stories in a safe environment. He noted that the first speaker at the event expressed appreciation for attending a school and district that provided the forum and opportunity to do so. Several district and High School North administrators were present throughout.
“We were also able to provide a safe and secure space for students, thanks in no small part to our strong relationship with local, state, and federal law enforcement,” Citta said.
The Central Jerseyan also reached out to High School North Principal Edward W. Keller for comment. He did not respond.
About 50 to 75 students attended, organizers said, including students not affiliated with either club. Teachers were welcome, and some participated. Neighbors and parents showed up in support.
“From freshman to senior,” Allyson said. “Everyone had an amazing time. We were hugging. We were singing.”
They played music. Some students danced salsa. Speakers shared personal stories.
The organizers said the response among students surprised them. Promotional posts received more than twice their usual engagement and very little pushback from classmates. While online reaction in the broader community was mixed — some students said they heard about critical comments on Facebook — they also received direct messages of encouragement.
“In a sea of red, I just wanted people to see that there are those blue blips; that if you feel this way, you’re not alone,” Gage said.
“We’re not stupid. We know we were going to get hate for this,” Allyson added. “It was more about morals than anything else.”
Christopher posted afterward to address misinformation and clarify that no parental permission slips were required and that administrators had been made aware ahead of time.
“It’s not about politics,” he said. “It’s about your heart and where your morals stand.”
The students acknowledged the opportunity may not come again — Gage called it “our free trial” — but said what stood out most by the end of the afternoon was not conflict. It was connection.
“When we look at our community, there is more of a difference we can make than when looking at the entire country,” Kaelyn said.
“If you have a friend or know someone who’s been affected, then you’ve been affected,” Allyson said. “And if you’re a person of color, it’s getting really scary out there.”
But Friday, she said, felt hopeful.
“These kids have a lot of compassion. They care about their school and their community and this issue.”
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