Hundreds Of Students March With Messages, Sending More Than 1000 Letters To Lawmakers

CHICAGO (CBS) -- 250 Students crowded inside a classroom at Curie High School Thursday as they prepared to march to a local post office to send messages to lawmakers.

14 and 15-year old honors students at the school wrote and collected 1,100 postcards for lawmakers and other officials, addressing a variety of topics, including social justice and mental health awareness.

"This is to the Governor and it reads, 'Put the guns away. Let these children graduate,'" stated high school student Diego Gutierrez.

The letters from republicans and democrats are asking for action on a variety of issues.

"Many lives have been lost due to gang shootings," said one student.

For one mile, students walked from the school, led by the school's marching band, to a post office to mail the postcards.

"We're marching for the Black Student Union and equality," stated Derriaire Wills, a high school junior.

Victor Gurrola said he wrote about funds for mental illness, saying state legislators need to bring more attention to the issue.

"I picked the issue because it's something I deal with myself and I go to therapy and I take medication for it. I know a lot of people who have the issue and deal with it on a daily basis," said Gurrola.

Douglas Mann, a Curie High School teacher, says it's a classroom lesson that's happening outside the classroom.

"Even though they can't vote, they still have a voice in their community," said Mann.

"I saw all the cars honking and looking at us," said Gurrola. "I feel our goal of just getting people to notice us and hear what we're saying has been accomplished."

The project was a collaboration between Curie High School and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The postcards were collected all over the city. The students say they were given the freedom to write about whatever issues they were passionate about.

Police and volunteers were stationed along the route to the post office to ensure safety.