HOUSTON – This weekend, hundreds of thousands of students from all over the United States, including Houston, are expected to march the streets of Washington, D.C. for the March For Our Lives event planned by the survivors of the Parkland, Florida school shooting.
WATCH: Local students preparing to take part in March in Washington D.C.
Local educators said this generation is one that is impacting U.S. history and culture.
High school students stood together all over the nation in school walkouts to demonstrate for gun control. At The Emery/Weiner School, students also left class to voice their opinions and remember those lost last month.
"I was devastated personally--not just because it could've been my school, but because these kids are my age and they have the same hopes and dreams I have," said Anna Rajagopal, a 17-year-old Emery/Weiner junior.
Roughly 500,000 people are expected to attend the March For Our Lives event this weekend at our nation's capitol. At Emery/Weiner, 29 students will be able to go for free.
"Shortly after the tragedy, one of the school's largest donors, gave me a call and said, 'We think it would be really interesting for students to go and participate in the Washington march'," said Stuart Dow, Head of School at Emery/Weiner.
"We asked students to write an essay for us about why they wanted to march and the essays we got were just incredible we were crying as we read them," Kelsey Hughes, a teacher said.
Students like 18-year-old Ryan Bronston were ecstatic for the opportunity.
"I think it's important to pressure our government officials to implement these common sense reforms that we so desperately need," he said.
"It's our lives that we're concerned about--all of these students that are being killed in schools because we don't have proper gun regulations--those students could easily be us as it is them," Chloe Starr, a junior said.
Organizers said it is an educational opportunity.
"I hope they become leaders... High school aged students are at the forefront of leading this issue of social change," Dow said.
"I'm definitely excited to be involved in this amazing movement that's going to go down in the history books," Rajagopal said.
University of Houston futurist Alexandra Whittington tells KPRC why this movement could be pivotal.
"They really desire authenticity. Think about what they've grown up on--everything virtual," Whittington said. "They have this attitude where they are not just going to accept, 'Here, this is how things are.' Why not 'Shape how things are'?"
She said Generation Z is using their tech and social media savvy to their advantage causing even big companies to listen.
"These are the people who were born essentially with an iPhone in their hand. They've had access to technology since birth. They're are highly informed and they know what's going on, unlike other generations who would have had to wait for the evening news," Whittington said.
This future generation of voters know what they can achieve.
"I think this is the first generation in a really long time who are confident in their abilities to be outspoken and stand up for what they believe is right," Rajagopal said.
"Remaining politically active is incredibly important," Bronston said.
The March For Our Lives event will take place at noon ET Saturday on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington.