Valley high school students take part in touch run to honor Martin Luther King's memory

PHOENIX - On Thursday, students from Franklin Police and Fire High School were up bright and early to represent justice and freedom, as they honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with their 14th annual Flame of Hope torch run.

Some of the students say they are sharing these moments to keep his legacy alive. 

"If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here right now," said student Yohana Ibarra.

Reminding them what started with the Civil Rights Movement, we do have our young people who can finish it," said organizer Valerie Churchill.

For months. they have been training for this moment, and on Thursday, they were off running through the streets of Downtown Phoenix, with a flaming torch leading the way, symbolizing the students carrying a light of hope for generations to come.

"This is why we're all brought together," said Ibarra. "As you can see, we're all from different families, different cultures, so he brought us all together, and it means unity."

The run ended with a breakfast at the Sheraton alongside law enforcement officers, where the students continued to learn about the civil rights leader's life. Organizers say they hope this experience will spark a flame inside of them to always fight for justice. 

"For them, I'm hoping it's an understanding of what Martin Luther King means, so it takes our seasoned people to show our young people and guide them along the way," said Churchill.

For many of these students, they hope to launch their careers in law enforcement, so the event also helped them connect with those already in the field.