On Monday there was a candid conversation with students from across the country, including Connecticut, as they talked about the Uvalde school shooting and the response to it.
“We are all really heartbroken something like this has happened, that another tragedy, another showing of gun violence,” said Jordyne Lewis a member of the Sandy Hook Promise.
The students said now is the time for action.
They would like to turn this tragedy into a moment for change, from creating anti-violence programs to gun safety.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
These young people are national youth advisory board members for Sandy Hook Promise. They talked about what they’re doing now to help fellow students stay safe in their schools.
“We thought of ways to promote our anonymous reporting system,” member Joel Morales said.
“For Say Something Week, we educate ourselves and then teach others about background checks and warning signs and why they are important to know,” member Aislinn Burns said.
Local
They also spoke about what needs to be done next to bring about change. Members said parents can get involved and have honest talks with their kids.
“Honestly don’t delay it. I mean I know it’s scary but the more you have these conversations with your kid the more they are going to talk to you about potential warning signs,” member Medha Kishore said.
Students can also raise their voices and start anti-violence groups at their schools, members said.
“The price of accepting things as they are is too high and it is unacceptable,” member Dyuthi Kumar said.
The students stress for adults that voting is important and for everyone, it’s important to work on mental health access and gun control, such as background checks.
“We don’t want another generation to grow up with school shootings,” member Noor Somro said.
