KAYLYN FISCHER & JENNY VO

Mar. 14 marks the one-month anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla. Thousands of students in the nation participated in a walkout to protest gun violence and honor the 17 students that were killed in Florida. As of 2:00 PM, teachers at South reported a total of 146 students who have participated in the walkout.

“I [participated] in this walkout for the kids who can’t, whether it be they are scared of voicing their opinion or their teachers wouldn’t let them,” Kennedy Kerr, 11, said.

Each individual student who participated had a different reason for joining the movement and to assist in hopes of making a change.

“I hope to bring light to this problem of gun violence in schools,” Kerr said. “I know that I can not make a big change in our structured government, but I want to raise my voice about this subject. I don’t want to go to school and be scared of my classmates or me being killed.”

Some students made signs to help commemorate students and families affected by the violence.

“Safe schools, save lives,” was written on a sign.

Many participants came to the walkout with the ideas to revolutionize the safety of schools.

“I hope it accomplishes safety for all schools around the world,” Alanis Stowell, 10, said. “Stand up, speak up, and make a change.”

During the walkout, students took a moment of silence to remember those students that were killed in Florida.

“I’m at the walkout for the lives of the ones that were lost to school shootings,” Stowell said.  “Students shouldn’t have the fear of coming to school and thinking this could be the last.”

Kennedy Kerr, 11, and Cale Smith,9, participate in the walkout. The walkout was held in honor of the 17 students that were killed in Florida and to protest gun violence. Photo by M. Del Real