Thousands of students across the country left their classrooms Wednesday as part of National Walkout Day.
Wednesday marks one month since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Students walked out to show solidarity for the victims and to call for an end to gun violence. The event started at 10 a.m. and lasted for 17 minutes--to symbolize the 17 people who died in the Florida shooting. More than 3,000 walkouts were scheduled with the Women's March Youth Empower website.
Students at several East Tennessee schools participated in the national event.
At Maryville College, dozens of students and faculty gathered on campus to honor the victims of the Parkland shooting. There were 17 chairs set up for each of the victims. Organizers also read short biographies of the victims. Participants wrote down their thoughts and prayers on notecards.
Organizers said they didn't want the demonstration to be a political event, but rather one that brings campus together.
"We did not want it to be about us or what we thought the policy implications had to be going forward, instead we wanted to memorialize the lives of the students that were lost," student Jacob Williams said.
In Seymour, dozens of high school students left their classrooms.
In Anderson County, eight students walked across the school's football field. Anderson County High School Assistant Principal Travis Freeman said students also participated in a "walk up" campaign.
"Just acknowledge maybe a student that they see that doesn't have a lot of peers," Freeman said.
"Today we saw how National Walkout became something that so many people can latch on to," said Dr. Tricia Bruce, a sociology professor at Maryville College.
Bruce said there have been several social movements in the past few years, and Wednesday's was an example of how it can physically mobilize people.
"People are voicing their concerns and I think seeing an ability to change, that's the key crux of any social movement," Bruce said.
That's what students say they are hopeful for.
"We can't just forget something like that," student Zach Plants said. "We need to keep talking about it so we can actually make a change."
Students nationwide are also planning a March For Our Lives event on March 24 and another national demonstration on April 20, the 19th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School.