By Abby Davidson

At 9:17 some students walked out of their classes, joining in front of the school in the grass at the bottom of the hill.

On April 20, some Mount Vernon High School students participated in the National School Walkout. Over 2,000 schools across the nation were a part of the walk out. The date marked the 19th anniversary of the Columbine School Shooting. Students joined outside to remember lives lost in Columbine and the recent Parkland school shooting, and with a discussion about gun violence.

The walkout for Mount Vernon was organized by seniors Derk Keller and Mat Zobac. Several students spoke, including Daniella Torres-Roe, Martin Benesh, Jack Dietsch, Keller, and Zobac.

“It was about getting everyone to talk about the issue,” said senior Mat Zobac. “We kept it at the school because it was an environment we could control, and it was a better turn out at the high school than it would be somewhere else. I was surprised by the outcome because I didn’t expect anyone to care.”

Talking in front of crowds isn’t easy for everyone but Dietsch shared his poem about the victims of Columbine. It was emotional and really set the tone for how serious this was. Dietsch said,  “I looked at the names of some of the Columbine victims and realized I didn’t recognize any of them.”