Armed with only their words and voices, thousands of students passionately poured out of their classrooms and rallied against school violence across the country on Wednesday, with many of them asking, Am I next?

Signs held into the air, from Washington, D.C. , to Washington state, called for tighter gun control and background checks, while some of the youngest participants waved signs bearing hand-drawn hearts and peace signs in support.

The emotional day marked one month since a lone gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14. That attack and two others, which each happened within the last five months, are among the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history .

Were done taking bullets for Congress, one sign read.

My dress code is stricter than the gun laws, read another.

Check out some of the most powerful signs that students, teachers and parents alike carried during the marches: