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Independence student wants to add new safety tool to schools

Posted at 7:16 PM, Feb 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-16 20:16:11-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A local student is taking action to try and keep classmates and future generations safe at her school.

Kayla Myers is a junior at William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri.

The 17-year-old was greatly impacted by the shooting at a Florida high school on Wednesday.

“It really affected her, this last shooting,” said Shannon Sanders, Myers’ mom, “She doesn't feel safe at school and it’s a place you should feel safe.”

“It’s completely terrifying because this could’ve been any school,” said Myers.

So Myers did some research and found a device that could help keep students safe if an active shooter were to get into the school.

It’s called a barracuda. The barricade slides under the door and locks into place, it prevents anyone from getting in or out of a classroom.

Myers wrote a letter to her school administrators said she wants to raise money to put one in every classroom in her school, and eventually in the Independence School District.

She said she wants to make sure it's doable before she starts a GoFundMe, she also wants to make sure the staff is on board.

“I’m just really trying to make it safe for everybody. I want to be a mom one day and I want to know my kids would be safe at school,” said Myers.

Right now, Raytown School District has a barracuda door barricade in every classroom, Myers wants to do the same for Independence.

"I cannot change the gun laws right now, that's something that's so hard to do... but to do something that's so simple to just keep us safe while something like that is going on that's all we can do right now,” said Myers.

While she respects the current active shooter plan in her district, she thinks this is another tool that could help save lives.

The teen is waiting to get the okay from the school district to start raising money.

She spoke with school administrators on Friday who are passing her idea along to the superintendent for approval.

We reached out to the Independence School District and are waiting to hear back.