To commemorate the one-month anniversary of the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a national walkout to take place at 10 a.m. on March 14. At high schools around the country, including Cathedral, students will express their support for increased school safety and gun control by leaving their classrooms in protest.

The selected time falls during flex period, but students are not obliged to join the walkout, English teacher Mrs. Lizabeth Bradshaw said. “Whether kids want to participate or not should be their choice. They are smart and thoughtful and should be encouraged to follow the news, think critically and not be afraid to opt in or opt out based on their own views, beliefs, hearts and ideas,” Bradshaw, who is one of the event organizers, wrote in an email.

Students will gather in the campus courtyard to honor the 17 lost lives. The event will also provide an opportunity for students to reflect on the campaign for gun control and their own role in the movement.

Bradshaw said she has received positive feedback about the upcoming event. The movement provides an opportunity for youth the have their voices heard in a situation that impacts their lives directly.

Bradshaw said, “I’m so proud of Cathedral for supporting our students’ need to be civically engaged, to express their concerns on the topic of school violence and to add their voices to such an important national conversation.”