MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Exactly one month ago, tragedy struck Parkland, Florida.

Students from all across the country have made their voices heard about changes they would live seen, and today was an example of that.

Students from high schools and colleges walked out of the building to draw attention to the desired changes.

Two local schools participated in the national walkout today.

Haslett High School and Okemos High School walked out at 10 a.m. to draw attention to the call for gun policy changes.

Okemos students met outside the flagpole and talked about the how students should feel safe at school and how this issue needs to be resolved.

"The victims of Parkland are high schoolers just like us. They should be going home to see their families after school everyday," Okemos senior, Paul Mckinley, said.

Haslett students met at the football stadium to discuss the Parkland victims lives and hold a moment of silence for each of them.

Okemos released 17 orange balloons and Haslett released 17 white balloons in remembrance for those lost.

Students held signs with messages on them to demand change.

 "Change needs to happen and it starts with us. This is the first step of many," Okemos senior, Abby Burba, said.

This was the first step.

"If those in charge think that the conversation ends today, they will be extremely disappointed to know this is not going to go away with their empty promises of change that will never happen," a Haslett student said at the walkout.

Haslett students said they would be writing letters to Michigan representatives and possibly meet with Sam Singh, a legislature for the state, in the coming days.

Okemos senior, Noelle Seward, said that your political ideology shouldn't matter.

"We can all agree that this violence has no place in our schools," she said.