GENESEO, Illinois-- Across the country and even in area schools, students are planning to send a message: gun control now.
On March 14th, Geneseo High School students plan to join the National School Walkout.
For 17 minutes the students will hold a moment of silence for the victims of the Parkland Florida shooting, and also to voice their concerns about gun violence in schools.
"Not one more life not one more school shooting...Parkland will be the last," said Piper Howard, Geneseo freshman.
Piper plans to walkout with her friends Elizabeth, and Emily who are also freshmen at Geneseo High School. They say the even is meant to be peaceful and provide a space for students to speak out on criminal background checks on gun control.
"Within the community, people need to be unified and decide what to do cause it's our lives," said Elizabeth Yost, Geneseo freshman.
"(We just want) to be sure that the people who have guns should be able to be trusted with a gun," said Geneseo freshman, Emily Yost.
The three teens say they've never experienced a school shooting they weren't alive for the first major school shooting at Columbine that shook the nation. Sandy Hook was the first real memory they had of a school shooting and now Parkland is on their minds.
"In Florida they probably felt safe too and everyone wants to say it won't happen here but it's just...no one can tell," said Howard.
They were inspired to take action after hearing the survivors of the Florida shooting demanded their lawmakers for gun control.
Fifteen year old Howard, says she took to the social media site twitter and created a poll asking Geneseo students if they'd be interested in a walkout.
Howard says she had just created the twitter account @ghswalkout and didn't expect more than 150 responses.
More than 60% who answered the poll agreed to participate in the walkout.
Students say this is one way to make sure their voices are heard since some of them aren't old enough to vote.
Another rally is scheduled in Davenport, Iowa called "March for Our Lives" on March 24th.