Young people consume news and they are disappointed with what gets covered and how they are portrayed. We can do better or we can be left behind.

Roughly 100 people showed up to a town hall meeting at Urbana High School Tuesday night. The meeting was called in response to community concerns about student safety and, at points, grew contentious with parents and students complaining about a lack of security at the high school and a perceived lack of discipline.

Organizers of a walkout planned for Friday said students at Champaign high schools are being forced to choose between participating in the civic demonstration around gun violence and attending prom. The walkout and subsequent events planned at the Independent Media Center in Urbana are part of a nationwide day of action around gun violence on April 20 — the anniversary of the Columbine school shooting.

Urbana High School is a participant in a new statewide pilot program that allows students to demonstrate their knowledge through practical applications inside and outside the classroom.

Students from eight high schools in the Champaign-Urbana area will stage a demonstration Saturday to call for stronger gun control measures. The protest is one of hundreds of similar events happening across the country, including Washington D.C., under the moniker “March For Our Lives.”