In the wake of recent shootings across the country, Nyack High School students led a candlelight vigil Monday night to plead for peace in their community.

The students gathered at Valley Cottage Elementary to vow that they will never bring violence into their schools.

Nyack High School student Talia Reiss, who will soon be a senior, shared the message she wants to hit home.

“My intention was to pledge non-violence and we as a student body are not going to be the ones causing that violence, that we can protect the kids of our community by coming peacefully,” she says.

The group honored the victims of the Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York shootings by reading each of their names. The people who pulled the trigger in both incidents were 18 years old.

While dozens of people from the community of all ages attended the vigil, Reiss is encouraging action to be taken by everyone.

“This is my job and your job and everyone's job, to come peacefully and tell your representatives that this is what we want. We want non-violence, that we want action and we want our kids to stay alive,” she says.

The students are not legally able to do much yet, but that hasn’t stopped them from doing what they can to try and protect their community.