Sandy Hook Promise, a national non-profit, released a back-to-school ad last week with a very charged message: Do something about school shootings. 

Founded by several family members of the Sandy Hook victims, Sandy Hook Promise advocates to protect children against gun violence. 

They have a petition on their website, the promise, that people can sign up for, stating, “I promise to do all I can to protect children from gun violence by encouraging and supporting solutions that create safer, healthier homes, schools and communities.” 

The ad displays a dark reality for our children today—a reality of regular intruder drills that hold the premise that a mass shooting might happen to them. Hell, it could happen to us at Emporia State. 

I’ve been a student since I was four, so 16 years. After graduation, I plan on teaching, which keeps me in the public education system. Education is something I feel extremely passionate about, but it’s also something that terrifies me. 

The ad ran by Sandy Hook Promise does a phenomenal job of displaying the horrifying reality our children are facing today. When I first watched it, I had absolutely no idea what the ad was about, I didn’t even know who was running the ad. I thought it was about school supplies. 

As it progresses, I just filled up with so much anger and fear. By the end, I was bawling. I can’t imagine sending my family the “I love you so much” text. I vividly remember reading those same texts from the Parkland students. I was devastated, absolutely heart-broken. 

My tears mean nothing. Your “thoughts and prayers” mean nothing. 

Action does. 

This ad calls for the same action I’m calling here: Do something. Contact your representatives. Sign the Sandy Hook promise. Vote in your elections. Participate in your local communities. Just do more than pray.