CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. -- Students at Shenendehowa High School held their own walkout on Friday.

Hundreds of students gathered at the football field to stand in solidarity with the national walkout. They also walked around the track for 17 minutes to honor the 17 lives lost in the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla.

Organizers say the goal was to encourage discussion on school safety.

"We want to promote school safety, and we know school safety is something that has a lot of different ways to look at," said Jackson Hengsterman, a Shen junior. "So we can have people that think we should keep school safer by armed teachers or we shouldn't have armed teachers. And I think this is a good place to come together and just express their ideas."

After the walkout concluded, students continued that dialogue with a town hall and panel discussion, which they organized. The panel included activists, town officials and school adminstrators.

“I hope they take away that this whole thing together is how they can effect change, and that’s what they’re looking to do, and there are a lot of different ways to do that,” said Shenendehowa High School Principal Ron Agostinoni.

Agostinoni believe they have a safe learning environment for students. But he says everyone should always pay attention and remain vigilant.