Twenty-eight students at YC participated in the walkout on March 14, 2018 . Freshman Joey Jones and senior Cody Craig got the event organized as part of a larger, national movement.

According to Jones, the walkout stands for two reasons. Firstly, “it’s in solidarity for the students and staff members that lost their lives at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.” Secondly, “It’s to protest the laws that allow, firstly, bump stocks, the apparatuses that make the rate of a firearm increase and also the fact a mentally ill individual who did commit a violent crime was able to pass a background check to get a AR-15.”

Both of the students were inspired by how surrounding school districts have been holding walkouts of their own. Craig stated, “My purpose was mostly to stand in solidarity with everyone doing the national walkout today and also to help highlight the issues that it’s not only a problem at the schools that have had school shootings and the places that had but also everywhere.”

Most student bystanders said that the walkout was a good idea, “because it’s going straight to the root of the problem.” When asked about the walk-up as an alternative the students said, “it’s a follow-up event. This lets us be heard.” The three student bystanders interviewed were Payton Adamski, Samantha Potter, and Emma Prine.

Jones gave a moving speech during the walkout. His speech included him counting out seventeen of the students who died to give us an idea of how many people who lost their lives. “The system failed. A mentally ill individual who made threats toward the school and was alerted to the FBI several times was able to legally purchase an AR-15,” stated Jones in his speech. Jones talked about spreading an idea of positivity and advocated for better gun control and a psych test when purchasing a gun. “If we spread positivity it’ll get us that much closer to a friendly and safer school,” Jones said.