Yesterday, I participated in a school walkout. This walkout was proposed by some of my fellow seniors, and was organized by them and the school administration. The main purpose of the event was to set aside time to pray for and remember the lives that were lost last month in Parkland, Florida. The event was also an opportunity for our school to learn about and discuss school violence and the steps that we as a community can take to prevent violence and promote unity. I realize that many might equivocate my school’s event to the many other school walkouts that happened nationwide yesterday. Our walkout was similar to others in the sense that they both were held in response to the shooting in Florida and intended to memorialize the students that lost their lives. However, we did not intend to make a political statement about gun control. The walkout was not an anti-gun rally. It was not organized by a political group of any sort. No politics were involved in or mentioned during the assembly or the memorial. A lot of people are saying that my classmates and myself only participated in the walkout to get out of class. This is simply not true. The walkout was held during school hours because it was a school event, but no class time was lost because of it. Prior to the walkout, all students and teachers attended an assembly on school safety, led by a captain of our local police department. No classes were held during the assembly or the walkout. Participation was voluntary – anyone who chose not to participate was allowed to remain in the auditorium for the 17 minutes. Speaking for my friends and myself, getting out of class is not a goal. We value our education and would not choose to miss class. Violence is unacceptable, whether it involves guns or not, and it has no place in schools. I am proud to say that I took a stand with my classmates against school violence. I am not a teenager who just wanted to get out of class. I am a concerned citizen, but more than that I am optimistic about the future of school safety and the future of my generation. My generation is not ignorant. We are not being manipulated or used. We are not being trendy or doing this for social media. We are informing ourselves of the issues that face us. We are forming our own opinions. We are a generation of youth that will not be silenced. We are taking a stand to remember those that have lost their lives to school violence, and to prevent any other lives from being lost.