Thousands of lively protesters united at the capital on the morning of Monday, March 4 to protect their higher education. Students from all the way up North in the bay, to all the way down South in San Diego came together for “March in March” which has been going on for several years now.

“March in March” is where students unite and let their collective voice be heard. Their protesting  is motivated by a desire to acquire lower school fees and loans, more classes, more faculty and affordable textbooks.

Thousands of protesters carried signs, some reading “We’re an Investment, not an entitlement” and “Couldn’t afford a real poster #budgetcuts.”

“It’s just hard to pay for your own, expensive education while you’re working a mediocre job. You can barely support yourself,” said Sierra Community College student Hailie Ingman.

Student protesters were determined to make a difference. People in the crowd chanted and cheered when various students and students took the podium to give a speech.

Fresno City College student Daniel Thomas Clark reminded the crowd how important it is that everyone is coming together and how far he believes they have come.

“People are coming together here. We need to roll up our sleeves and pack our lunch pails because we still have work to do,” said Clark.

Although thousands of students showed up to fight for their education, nothing got out of hand. The crowd was very upbeat and happy to have their voices heard.

The crowd seemed to get riled up the most when Jonathan Lightman took the podium. Lightman is the executive director of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges and conducted the very first “March in March.” He repeatedly said that this is the time for the students not to celebrate, but to advocate.

Lightman led different chants and left the students to remember just one thing:

“I am not a challenge, I’m an opportunity. I am not a cost, I’m an investment. I am not a special interest, I am the future.”