Dallas — Outside, the American Airlines center the flags still flew at half-staff Monday.
Inside, there was a moment of silence for the victims shot and killed at Santa Fe High School.
"Who is at risk? We all are and not just in the school environment,” Mark Herrera, a former SWAT team member, told the crowd.
Six-thousand Dallas ISD students were brought in for a special conference, "See Say Do."
Students were all too aware that it could some day be their school.
"It's kind of post-traumatic stress on these types of events," said Glenda Meyer, a sophomore. "We are afraid it's going to happen and we are always aware of our surroundings."
The message from law enforcement experts was not just how to survive a school shooting but how to prevent it by speaking up, looking for warning signs and odd behavior by fellow students.
"And if the kids can tell us what they see is going on and tell us what is going on we can be successful,” DISD police Chief Craig Miller said.
According to the FBI, in 80 percent of the shootings at least one other person knew it was going to take place.
"We shouldn't have to worry about getting shot while trying to get an education and become something better,” freshman Chelsea Collins said.
Holland Frieling, a junior, joined the chorus of thousands of students who are speaking up and saying enough and demanding stricter gun control laws.
“I think my generation is sick of this and I don't know if lawmakers now understand that, but we are working and pushing to make things different because we don't want to see this happening to our kids," Frieling said.
Students understand that changes won't come overnight but say it is time to do something different so they can be safe at school.