KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Students at St. Teresa's Academy staged a walk-out Wednesday, protesting gun violence and demanding gun reform.
The notion is that it's up to the youth to make a difference.
"No matter your stance on all these ideas, I think something we can all agree on is this needs to change," said one student at the podium.
Students say they wanted to show solidarity with their peers in the face of last month's Parkland, Florida deadly school shooting and so many others.
"I think it's a big worry," Junior Audrey Giersch said. "That's why we're out here, part of the reason, to advocate for gun control and put our support behind other schools who have been through this kind of stuff."
More than 400 students at St. Teresa's signed a petition calling on lawmakers to listen.
"There's so many people who believe in this cause, but there are so many who don't. If we can convince just one person to maybe consider the other side and the danger that students are in every day, I think that would be enough," Senior Bridget Graham said.
Kansas City Councilman Scott Taylor and Mayor Sly James came, pledging their support and urging students to stand up for what they believe in.
"I think it's really important we get together like this and really make a change. Use our voice, because we definitely have that," Junior Lizzy Concannon said.
School walk-outs are planned across the country and in the Metro in the coming weeks, including March 14 and April 20.
Blue Springs schools are planning a walk-out on March 21.
