JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — The City of Jacksonville Youth Council raised awareness Tuesday about gun violence in schools.

They hosted an event to draw attention to that issue, and remember those who were killed in the May 27 school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

They called for students and the community to come together, in hopes of providing comfort for those impacted by school shootings.

Morgan McRae is senior at Jacksonville High School and she also helps lead the Jacksonville Youth Council.

McRae and her classmates have been particularly concerned about school safety in light of the Uvalde shooting.

“This is like everyday for us, you shouldn’t have to go to school and be worried that someone’s going to bring a gun because you’re at school,” McRae said.

She said that should be a wake-up call for eastern North Carolina.

“It’s so important because it’s not just an event that happens like in Texas, or just an event that happens in Jacksonville — it’s a problem within our nation,” McRae said.

Pamela Trafton is the staff liaison for the council.

“Anything that happens within the nation can one day impact us,” Trafton said. “So hopefully, by taking a proactive approach, and bringing awareness we can kind of help share the love amongst each other.”

Mario Harris, a youth mentor who attended the event, said that all children have a voice.

“We need to listen to their voice,” said Harris. “A lot of times as adults, we want to direct our children to do all these different things without even listening to them, because we need to listen to them.”

With their mission of spreading love, the council hopes changes take place and they are heard.

“We are one city, which means that whether it’s a negative event or a positive event, we all come together,” said Trafton.