March for Our Lives bus tour makes stop in Sarasota

SARASOTA (FOX 13) - Some of the students who survived the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida are spending their summer on the road. 

They have launched two bus tours focused on getting young people registered to vote and promoting changes to gun laws.

The teens spent Wednesday in the Sarasota area. They chatted with students from local schools, registered people to vote, and met with local politicians.

The last stop was a town-hall at Selby Public Library, and hundreds of people turned out.

Folks were energized to hear from the students behind the youth-led movement.

“I’m so impressed with these kids from Marjory Stoneman Douglas,” said Margot Keller. “I think that they have given up their summer in order to do something that’s very important to them and to our country.”

“I definitely want to support the students,” Doreen Dupont said. “They’re the most wonderful thing for our democracy, for our lives right now.”

Sarasota is stop number six for the March for Our Lives: Road to Change Florida Tour.

The bus tour kicked off in Parkland last Friday. The student activists are hitting all 27 congressional districts in the Sunshine State to spread their message.

Four teens from Marjory Stoneman Douglas, along with three local high-schoolers made up the panel for the discussion.

“We’re gaining these friendships and were gaining a network of kids who really just want to help,” Marjory Stoneman Douglas student, Adam Alhanti said.

The goal is to energize and connect with youths.  They’re rallying against gun violence, and getting teens registered to vote.

“Whoever you’re voting for, a vote is a vote, and the fact that you have a right to vote is just so immense and you should use it to your power,” said Alhanti.

They talked about the power of the polls, saying being educated about the candidates and making your vote count can bring real change.

“I really think that change is going to happen at a state and local level, so the more people we can get signed up to vote, the more people to exercise that right, the more choices we’re gonna have,” Keller said.

The Florida tour wraps up August 1 in Gainesville. There is also a nationwide tour making 50 stops in 20 states.