An ordinary heartwarming Valentine’s Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School soon became one of the most heartbreaking days of time as terror, panic, and gunshots filled the halls. What is now known as the deadliest high school shooting in America with 17 people killed, this Florida shooting has created a public outbreak with many students taking their own action.

Now weeks later, grief still fills the nation, more specifically from high school students who feel strong beliefs on gun control and their own safety.

Florida shooting survivor, Delaney Tarr, spoke out to ABC News stating, “Before the school shooting, my main concerns were my grades, college acceptance, and my social life. Now, I’m a high school senior worried about which memorial I need to place flowers at. Now, I’m focused on what clothes I can wear so I can run away from gunfire.” Schools are a place where students are supposed to learn and grow as individuals. As the years go by, schools have become far more dangerous, as many tragedies such as this have been taking place.

Students now have gathered national attention as they have been doing what they can to express their opinions and beliefs on this ongoing topic. According to the Miami Herald and Washington Post, “In Florida, about 100 students from Stoneman Douglas High traveled by bus to the state Capitol in Tallahassee bearing homemade signs and messages for state lawmakers, arriving late Tuesday. Some students arrived in time to watch lawmakers vote against a bill that would ban assault-style rifles, similar to the one used in last week’s shooting. Some students broke down in tears as the votes were tallied. Wednesday, they arose and rallied on a hill near the Capitol and set out to meet with 75 lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.”

In addition, there have been many social media posts made by students all over the nation advocating for a change in the laws and the banning of guns. As a student under the age of 18, one can only do so much. However, many school walkouts and marches have been happening and are still coming up due to the unsafety of schools and guns. These walkouts may seem as pointless to some, but to many students across the nation, it is a way for them to advocate for a change and to show the world that they are allowed to have a voice, especially when this shooting could have easily happened at their school.

What may seem small to one’s eye, may be very valuable and important to another. Nevertheless, school shootings are tragedies that need to be put to an end. Too many lives have been lost, and as a highschool student, there needs to be a change in order to make schools a place where students don’t need to be worried about their life or feel unsafe.

These walkouts and protests are a step toward the right direction in keeping our schools safe when change and action in government and politics is so limited for a high school student. “The Women’s March’s Youth EMPOWER group is planning a national school walkout on March 14, 2018. At 10 a.m. in every time zone, organizers are encouraging teachers, students, administrators, parents and allies to walk out for 17 minutes - one for every person killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.”, addresses Sarah Gray from Time.

<Aaron Kim Los Altos HS 10th Grade>