Local students among 800,000 who attended "March for Our Lives" in DC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hundreds of thousands of people are taking to the streets of Washington D.C. to voice their concern over gun violence in America in a place where many believe lawmakers will listen.

High school students from Emery Weiner in Houston stood on Pennsylvania Avenue. For 17-year-old David Ilouz, a student there, it was his first march.

"I really hope something comes of this. To be standing with 500,000 people across the country and then thousands more across the country is really incredible," Ilouz said.

"It transcends just the march itself; from the minute we stepped into D.C., there were people waiting at the airport. There were people -- our bus driver - saying things like -- 'We support you!'" said 16-year-old sophomore Madeline Canfield.

Their generation, Generation Z, has lead the March For Our Lives. Survivors of the Florida school shooting did it for their classmates, 17 students and teachers who died after being shot inside the school on Valentine's Day.

At the rally, artists like Demi Lovato and Jennifer Hudson performed in support.

Hundreds of thousands of  adults like Jeannette Friedman from Paradise Valley, Pennsylvania, came to support. 

"Everybody thinks it's just kids. When the old grandmas and the great-grandmas march, then they get the message that it's not just the kids," Friedman said.
Emery Weiner students said they hope to be politically active even after the march.

"From now until the day I die, I will be calling senators, calling anyone to be my representative in the government," Ilouz said.

The 29 students who attended from Emery Weiner will make their way back to Houston Sunday.