Sandy Hook's First Graders Who Survived Mass Shooting Will Cast Their First Presidential Vote This Year

The first graders who survived the Sandy Hook Elementary school massacre will cast their first presidential ballots this November. Nearly twelve years after one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, this comes as a pivotal moment filled with hope for these young voters that they can finally effect change on gun violence. Grace Fischer was just 6 when a gunman killed 20 of her classmates and 6 educators on December 14, 2012. She survived by staying quiet as her teacher softly read The Nutcracker to keep the children calm. Fischer sees voting as a crucial milestone. "It's a huge turning point in our lives," she told NBC News.

These survivors watched from the sidelines as similar tragedies unfolded across the country in the years that followed. Emma Ehrens was next to the gunman as he shot her classmates. She expressed her heartbreak at the lack of meaningful change. She said, "We were told this would be what turns everything around. It really breaks your heart a little bit more every time." The Sandy Hook massacre sparked hopes for watershed gun control legislation.

Emma Brown, executive director of the Giffords gun safety group, reflected, "The country was forced to look at this issue in a visceral, terrible way. The loss of all of those kids in their classroom was so inconceivable and so horrific that even the politicians and the folks who had been trying to act like this wasn't a growing problem in this country were unable to deny it for the first time."

States have passed hundreds of gun safety laws since 2012. However, major federal bills have failed. Mass shootings have only become more frequent. Since 2013, at least 122 people have died in 64 planned school shootings. Just this month, four people were killed at Georgia's Apalachee High School. For Sandy Hook survivors like Fischer, Ehrens, Lilly Wasilnak, and Matt Holden, their first presidential vote represents a chance to finally have their voices heard.

They're united in their support for Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential bid, citing her stance on gun control as a key factor. "It's a no-brainer for me," remarked Wasilnak. The group met Harris at the White House in June, where they shared their experiences from that tragic day. Harris told them, "None of you should have had the experience that you've had at all. Know that you guys are moving the needle."

The Vice President has made school safety a top priority in her campaign. Her plan includes banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, requiring universal background checks, and supporting 'red flag' laws allowing temporary confiscation of guns from individuals deemed a threat. On the other hand, Republican nominee Donald Trump has promised to roll back the Biden administration's gun control measures. His running mate, J.D. Vance, recently faced backlash for calling school shootings a 'fact of life.' Sandy Hook survivors and their vote carries deep personal significance. "I'm casting a vote for the 26 who can't," Wasilnak said, honoring the classmates and educators who lost their lives that day, as per the Daily Mail.