KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As they watched the scenes unfold on live television like millions of other Americans, local high school students were shocked.
“I was completely dumbfounded yesterday when I was watching the news," Sophia Herrera, sophomore at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, said.
Herrera and her peers told 41 Action News they could not believe what they were seeing across their broadcast and social media feeds.
“It’s almost like someone broke into your own house and taking pictures with their feet up on their desk and stuff like that," Ani Atluri, senior at Lincoln Preparatory Academy, said.
As disheartened as student say they were watching supporters of President Donald Trump violently breach the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, their spirits were lifted hours later when congress reconvened to confirm the presidential election.
“It just really showed the strength of the United States because even after all of that happened, we cleaned the offices up and did everything, and we got back to work and finished the job," Atluri said.
Wednesday's events at the Capitol sparked more conversations about politics and race in America.
“I think what happened yesterday is going to be a very defining thing not only in the history of politics but in the history of the world," James McGee, senior at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, said.
As this group of high school students feels the nation's divide deepen, they say they are focused on being the change.
“It’s time that we start re-branding as a country and become even greater and even more united than ever and I think our generation right now could even be the change within politics and law to make a difference years to come," Herrera said.
