JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – In a move of solidarity, Jamestown High School students joined thousands nationwide in a classroom walkout to protest against gun violence after 17 were killed in a Florida high school last month.

Grace Roy, a senior at JHS, was a part of the walkout.

“Our mission was to be a united, peaceful, organized protest of students to show our representatives what we are capable of. We will not be silenced in this time where we, as youth, need to stand up for our rights and the rights of our peers,” she told NewsDakota.com.

JHS was one of several other schools across the nation participating in the walkout. Other schools signed up for a walkout in North Dakota include Bismarck High School, Fargo Davies High School and Grand Forks Central High School.

Jamestown Public School’s released the following in regards to the walkouts:

“Students in some communities are planning protests against gun violence. We know that the issue of guns in our society is a controversial and divisive issue. We will neither encourage nor prevent student participation in such activities although we will treat these like any other school absence. We will strive to keep school as normal as possible, and to discourage activity within school that creates conflict. We encourage parents to talk with their children about the right to protest, and about how they will respond to requests to participate, or how they will respond to those that choose to do so.”

Principal Adam Gehlhar says around 50 of their 650 students particpated in the walkout.

“Students conducted themselves in an orderly manner with moments of silence and a couple of readings. We respect the right of our students to advocate for causes and to do so in a manner while abiding by school attendance and conduct policies. In this case students conducted themselves appropriately but some did not follow the protocol for parents excusing the absence and consequences will be enforced as per our policy,” Principal Gehlhar stated.

“As Mr. [Robert] Lech mentioned we encourage families to discuss their feelings about the topic and want to stress the importance of teaching children to express themselves in appropriate ways. As a school we cannot allow these issues to effect teaching and learning and have policy in place to govern student attendance and conduct.”

The planned walkouts lasted for 17 minutes, one minute for each victim who lost their lives during the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stonemen Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.