Valley students participate in national walkout

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As part of a nationwide protest against gun violence local high school students let their voices be heard Friday.

Over 300 Edison High School students took their protest to Downtown Fresno and the Fresno Unified School District office after walking off campus at 10 am.

"We all stood up together and we walked from Edison High School all the way downtown just to send out a message that violence needs to stop and its gotten really serious," said sophomore Georgia Foster. "Too many people are losing their lives. Everybody has a future and it needs to stop now."

Students pushing for tougher gun control laws comes on the 19th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado when 13 people were killed.

Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson allowed students to speak and listened to their concerns.

"America is really about listening to people and about people having a voice and being engaged in a civic dialogue. This conversation right now is a difficult conversation for our nation and it's one that we need to move toward."

Smaller protests were held at various valley schools as well. Fresno High offered a lunchtime social rally that stayed on campus.

Students at Kingsburg High also organized a walkout, but after being told by the district they would be reprimanded if they left campus, the students decided to keep their protest on school grounds.

Kingsburg high Junior India Sigle helped organize the walkout, "No one's minds are going to change here in Kingsburg but it was important for us to really stand up to really use our voice and I think that came across and I think our bravery came across and I courage came across."