Two Akron teens will be making their way to Washington D.C. in the early hours of Saturday morning to be apart of a massive march concerning a topic that has dominated the country in the last month - school shootings.
Akron Buchtel High School seniors Mikayla Greenwood and Quentin Harris didn't hesitate to sign up when they learned the NAACP was sponsoring a bus trip to the nation's capital.
The bus leaves around 3 a.m. Saturday from Akron and will return Sunday morning. In between, the teens will take part in the March For Our Lives, an event that could bring nearly half a million people to Washington D.C.
"I'm super excited. I think it should have an impact that we're gonna be talking about for years after this," Greenwood said.
"I think people should stand up and try to get rid of gun violence any way they can," Harris added.
The school shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people sparked the movement, which is being led by Parkland students. They are urging a "comprehensive and effective bill be immediately brought before Congress to address these gun issues."
Greenwood expects lawmakers to hear and pay attention to the young voices.
"My message would be for greater gun control. One of the tag lines was, 'Am I next?' I would think people should take it more serious, especially adults in power, the NRA," she said.
Greenwood and Harris were also among thousands of students across Northeast Ohio who participated in National Walkout Day last week.
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Many of them stressed a school shooting can happen anywhere.
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"You might not know if someone at our school or someone else's school is gonna bring a gun to school and start shooting people up," Harris said.
Both students believe the march could be the start of something big. They hope it creates change and makes schools safer.
"This is our generation," Greenwood said. "We're the ones who have the power to change it."
