LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- 16 students from Manual High School are waking up in Washington DC Friday getting ready to cover the story of a lifetime.
The local high school journalists are covering the March for our Lives rally in the nation’s capital and they have national news crews embedded with them covering their experience.
WHAS 11’s Renee Murphy had the chance to catch up with them before Saturday’s rally.
“It's a big deal,” said DuPont Manual High School student Fons Cervera.
“This has been one of the biggest opportunities I have had as a student journalist,” said senior Jordan Grantz.
These Manual High School are ready to cover one of the biggest stories of their generation.
“I take it as a really big and important responsibility and an honor to go and cover this and tell other people's stories to the world,” said Cervera
They are covering the March for our Lives rally in Washington D.C. Saturday.
Students from Parkland Florida organized the event to plead for safer schools and talk about reducing gun violence after 17 people were killed in a shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School.
“I think having the platform that I have as a journalist has made that ability to raise awareness more about this issue,” said Cervera.
“It's incredibly exciting. I have never had an opportunity like this but I think it's going to be extremely enriching and empowering,” said Manual High School student Sylvia Goodman.
To these students, it isn't political
“It's not a red and blue issue. We are the future and we are the people who are going to create the change in the next 20, 40 years,” said Grantz.
It's a story close to them.
“I don't feel like I’m in danger. When we had the conversation with the student in Parkland she said she didn't feel like she was in danger either,” said Cervera.
And one they take very seriously.
“It's our opportunity to tell those stories to really make something of what we are doing,” said Goodman.
They say they are ready for the world to listen.
The students will return to Louisville on Sunday and will be sharing their stories all weekend long on social media and on their online student newspaper -- The Red Eye.
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