At ten in the morning yesterday, March 14, hundreds of Millbrook students walked out of their classrooms in protest of gun violence and to advocate for a safer school environment. Millbrook was only one of schools across America who participated in what is now being referred to as “National Walkout Day”  which was placed on the one month anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High shooting. The walkout lasted for seventeen minutes in honor of the seventeen victims killed,

and also included a three minute moment of silence to signify the time it took for Nikolas Cruz to shoot them. The movement was lead by seniors Anna Conger, Lauren Stiller, Emily Ficker, Lily Alomari, and Maddie Simmons, along with junior Riley Yates and sophomore Natalie Maron. All stood up in front of the crowd and gave powerful speeches on the importance of implementing new gun control laws and about making our voices as students heard.

 Senior Anna Conger spoke passionately when honoring the victims of the Parkland shooting and led several chants, such as one that proclaimed “We the kids of the U.S.A. deserve to live another day,” which were met with resounding cheers from the student body. When asked why this movement was taking place, Conger replied that the student body is “fed up with what’s been going on in schools” and that gun violence “is a preventable issue, and we are uniting together to do so.” Senior Lauren Stiller spoke out against “politicians, who are supposed to be protecting us, aren’t doing anything.” She emphasized the importance of taking the future into the students’ hands, especially as within the next couple years current students will be eligibl

e to vote for those that are pro-gun control and not receiving funding from the NRA. Natalie Maron, the youngest of those leading the movement, proclaimed, “We shouldn’t be trying to end this issue with thoughts and prayers when that does nothing. It’s time we take matters into our own hands and make a change.”

 Among the students gathered for the protest were sophomores Nia Anderson and Julia Smith, who could be seen standing atop a bench holding a sign that challenged our current gun laws in America. When discussing the controversy in politics over gun control, An

derson stated, “This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans. This is an American issue.” Smith pointedly remarked that “students shouldn’t be suspended for using their voices.” Luckily, the administration at Millbrook High School allowed the walkout with no threat of disciplinary repercussions, as long as it remained calm and the environment was safe for everyone involved.

 Gun laws in America are regarded by many to be largely lacking, resulting in America having the highest number of mass shootings in the world. Loopholes in background checks include “the default proceed,” which is if the background check is not completed withi

n three days, then the gun is given without a background check at all. On top of this, in most states background checks are not required for unlicensed sellers, such as those at gun shows. Changing these loopholes and requiring strict and thorough background checks are only the first step to ending gun violence in America, and the students participating across the country for National School Walkout Day are a huge part in changing the future. As senior Anna Conger powerfully stated, “This is not an issue students should have to worry about. We shouldn’t be scared walking down the hallways. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about sending their kids to school. This is an issue that affects all of our lives, and we’ve had enough.”

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