Watch This Drone Video Of Friday's Burlington High School Walkout

BURLINGTON, MA -- When Burlington High School students walked out of class Friday in an administration-supported walkout, LeRoy Wong was ready with his drone. Wong, who runs the school's help desk, shot the aerial footage of the students as they gathered to raise awareness of gun violence and school shootings.

Earlier this year Wong received a grant to develop initiatives to use drones and drone technology in education. He was among the 15 Massachusetts teachers selected to receive classroom grants from Massachusetts Computer Using Educators, a foundation that promotes the use of technology in education. Wong received the grant for his application entitled "SOARing with Drones in Education."

The students had originally planned to conduct the walk out -- which is being done with the blessing of school administrators -- in conjunction with students around the country on Wednesday. Those plans, however, were scuttled, when bad weather closed Burlington schools.

Students from around the state did, however, gather at the State House in Boston Wednesday. Chants of "No justice, no peace!" and "Hey hey, ho ho, the NRA has got to go" flooded the Boston Common paths as the protest moved from the Cathedral Church of St. Paul to the State House; police stopped traffic to let them cross the street. "Not in our schools, not in our streets" rung out in front of the General (Joseph) Hooker Entrance to the State House, which turned into "State House? Our house!"

Last week, more than 15 community leaders signed a letter supporting the action by the Burlington High School students. Students participating in the walkout will gather in front of the school to observe the moment of silence. The Florida shooting was the seventh of 13 school shootings that have left 23 people dead 43 people injured since the start of the year. The walkouts, which were initially proposed by organizers behind the Women's March, are being held to "protest Congress' inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods."

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).