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‘We are not going to stop using our voices.’ — Maine students march on Boston

As thousands turned out to March For Our Lives rallies across the state and country, students from Mount Desert Island Regional High School traveled to Boston to take part in the march there.

BOSTON, Mass. (NEWS CENTER Maine) — As thousands turned out to March For Our Lives rallies across the state and country, students from Mount Desert Island Regional High School traveled to Boston to take part in the march there.

NEWS CENTER Maine went along for the journey as students demanded action on school safety and gun control.

STORY | #ListenToME | Giving Maine teens a voice

The student organizer, Mackenzie Miller, said the community raised nearly $4,000 to support their trip.

"We've put a lot of work into this in the last couple weeks," Miller said. "We are just really excited to go down and make sure our voices are heard."

Miller, a senior at MDI, encouraged her peers to let their opinions be heard following the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. She said while there are those who disagree with their message, it is one that needs to be heard.

"It just blows my mind that people don't believe that we should have the chance to speak our minds," she said. "We are not going to stop using our voices."

The five-hour journey allowed students to discuss the issue and reflect on what motivated them to make the trip. While everyone was united around stricter gun laws, their reasons for going differed.

"It’s important that so many students came out to support something they believe in so much," student Bonnie Snyder said.

Snyder said she was overwhelmed by the number of people who filled the streets of Boston, as she marched alongside nearly 40 of her peers.

Signs with anti-NRA and pro-gun control sentiments affirmed the students’ stance on the ever-growing debate.

One MDI student’s sign read, "Bullets are not school supplies."

STORY | 'We deserve better': Students nationwide walk out in massive protest over gun violence

"Everyone here wants to keep kids safe," Miller said. "No one here is against that."

She said she hopes participating in such a large demonstration, show other Maine students that they can have a voice too.

"It’s so amazing. I’m so proud of everyone here," Miller said.

Thousands take to the streets of Boston for #MarchForOurLives demanding action on gun control, school safety. #NEWSCENTERmaine pic.twitter.com/HEEQqtbqOK

— Zach Blanchard (@ZachBlanchard) March 24, 2018

Miller’s mom, Tracy, chaperoned the students on Saturday’s trip. She said she is also proud of the students and hopes it shows parents how important it is to support their kids.

"Silence is complicity," Tracy Miller said. "You have to stand up and fight for what you want for your kids. You have to advocate for them."

For several students on the trip, it was their first experience of its kind.

"I’ve never really been a part of anything like this," September Murray said. "I never saw myself as an activist and it’s a pretty incredible feeling."

The two-mile march ended with a rally on Boston Common where thousands of people gathered to listen to a number of speakers—uniting around a theme of stricter gun laws.

STORY | Maine students prepare for March for Our Lives

When asked if they felt Saturday’s march would have an impact, Emily Homer said: "I hope so."

"I do think the sheer number of people—especially younger—will hopefully make a difference," Homer said.

Students on the trip said they plan to bring the feeling of empowerment they said the gained from the march back to school to continue to fight for change.

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