When a fight occurs usually someone’s first reaction would be to get away from it, or to go and get an adult for help. However for Tori Vaughn, junior, her first reaction was to jump in and stop them herself, just last week Vaughn broke up two fights that occurred in her design class.

“I used to take self defense and martial arts so I knew what to do,” Vaughn said.

The first altercation occurred when an argument broke out between a male and a female student. When the situation between the two students became violent Vaughn decided to take action.

“It was really scary but I knew I had to do what’s right, so I had to pull him off of her and then another boy in my class came to help,” Vaughn said.  “I couldn’t have done it myself.”

The second fight that occurred was between two boys, like the first, what started out as arguing quickly took a turn for the worst when one boy put the other in a headlock. At first Vaughn thought to just wait for security, but when she realized the danger of the situation she stepped in to help.

“They were on the floor and I say the guy’s face and it was purple and his eyes were getting glossy, and I was like someone has to help,” Vaughn said. “I walked over and grabbed the guy’s thumb and used it as leverage to pull his arm off and a teacher was able to help the other guy.”

Thanks to the monitoring system in the classroom, both security and administration was able to see what Vaughn did to help.

“There are cameras on the computers and we have a camera that’s surveilling at all times,” Mona Morrissey, design teacher, said. “[Tori] was on video, helping.”

With both fights Morrissey quickly alerted security and got assistance from Joshua Davis, photography teacher, next door. Although she was initially surprised that Vaughn was the one breaking up the fights, she was grateful that someone stepped in to help.

“She’s very quiet, very studious, she’s very nice to everyone,” Morrissey said. “things happened so fast, I was just happy there was someone to help get these two kids apart.”

Morrissey doesn’t know for sure why either fights occurred but believes that violence is never the answer.

“If you’re arguing with someone use your mouth, use your words, it should never have come to fists, and if it did get physical it’s because the person who started the physical part couldn’t think of a good comeback,” Morrissey said.

For her efforts Vaughn was awarded by Rodney Johnson, and Dot Mallon, division principles with a special gift.

“There was a stuffed bear, and two gold tickets and some candy,” Vaughn said. “then they thanked me for bringing peace in the situation.”