The annual “March In March” was held in Sacramento on Monday, March 4.  Thousands of students from community colleges, California State Universities, and Universities of California rallied together seeking education reform from legislators and policy makers.

Students gathered at Raley Field and marched one mile toward the state capital. Many students carried signs with sayings such as “You let me down Mr. Brown!” and “Only the educated are free!”

Creativity in the signs was present, from applying clever internet memes to well known  yet powerful quotes that clearly conveyed their message.

Energy was high, but students channeled their passion through organized shouts and chants, instead of acts of vandalism and aggression, which these protest can sometimes display.

UC Santa Barbara students David Washington and Alex Terenin shouted “Who’s got the Power?” to fellow students through a makeshift megaphone. The crowd marching replied, “We got the Power!”

Various messages and agendas were addressed. Students stressed the application of Proposition 30, which would affect California’s education system. Other participants took a more radical approach and stressed the correlation between the growth of the prison system and the stagnation of education in our state.

Despite students’ differences in ideas and motives concerning California education reform, all students displayed solidarity and a passion for enacting change.