Seventeen minutes feels like a long time in the snow, in silence. On State Road outside the Charter School Thursday morning, senior Keith Chatinover rang a bell each passing minute for each person killed at the school shooting in Parkland, Fla. last month. One by one, 17 students stepped forward with a sign reading, “One of us.”

The national walk-out took place on Wednesday, but due to a snow day schools on the Island adjusted their plans. The Charter School, the high school, and the middle schoolers at the West Tisbury School all walked out Thursday morning at 10 a.m. The Oak Bluffs School rescheduled their walk-out for next week. The Edgartown School is in the process of rescheduling their demonstration.

More than 70 people participated in the walk-out at the Charter School. Most were in middle school and high school. Some wore fleece blankets. Police Chief Daniel Rossi looked on in plain clothes, occasionally directing traffic. Students younger than fifth grade were allowed to come along if a parent walked with them.

Cyrus, 8, walked with his father, Ali Hedin.

Student organizer Keith Chatinover rings a bell signalling the end of another minute of silence. — Mark Alan Lovewell

“Because I thought it was right,” Cyrus said when asked why he wanted to participate. He wore a striped green and blue jacket and sweatpants tucked into his snow boots.

Keith Chatinover and the student government organized the walk-out, talking with each class about what the demonstration would mean.

“I thought it would be a lot more powerful if we were quiet,” Keith said. “Everyone is always like, children are so loud, teenagers are so loud, so when they’re quiet it’s more powerful.”

School director Bob Moore said he had never seen students walk out of class this way in his 20 years at the school. “I didn’t hesitate one minute,” he said of his support.

Keith is also coordinating busses for a trip to Washington D.C. next week for the March for Our Lives, another national demonstration to call on legislators for stricter gun laws, school safety, and to show solidarity with victims of school shootings. He said over 100 people have signed up.

Locally, he says he supports Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) legislation circulating at the capitol. The law would allow a judge to require individuals who have been deemed dangerous to temporarily surrender their firearms.

At the high school, students stood outside along Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road. They also walked out last month shortly after the shooting, gathering on the football field for a moment of silence. Sophomore Amelia Simmons took the initiative for this second demonstration.

“Now it’s about change rather than just acknowledging what happened,” said Mackenzie Condon, vice president of the junior class. “We’re saying that it’s not okay that this type of event is becoming commonplace.”

She and junior class president Owen Engler said they were heartened by how many people drove by honking their horns.

“Pretty much everyone driving by knew why we were outside,” Owen said. “People care about the issue. All different types of people driving different types of cars were showing their support.”

Owen, Mackenzie, and many other students from the high school also plan to attend marches in Boston, Washington DC and at Five Corners on March 24 for the March for Our Lives demonstrations.

At the Charter School, after 17 minutes had passed, the students silently walked back through the campus into the building. To their right, the younger kids played at recess, balancing on tree stumps, running through the snow, yelling and laughing.