LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Students from seven Jefferson County public elementary schools joined group discussions Wednesday focused on how they think Louisville can be a better place.

Coming together from Atkinson, Brandeis, Carter, Kennedy, King, Wheatley and Whitney Young elementary schools, the students discussed safety, gun violence and bullying, among other issues they believe plague Louisville.

"These problems affect them probably more than anyone else," Judge Derwin Webb said. "Kids need hope, and if there are so many problems out there and there are no solutions and they don't see anything but problems, they lose hope."

Louisville Metro deputy police chief Paul Humphrey joined judges, health care workers, real estate agents and other community leaders to hear the kids' concerns.

Jerry Rankin, a fourth-grader at Whitney Young, said he thinks mental health needs to be a focus in schools.

"What we really need to focus on is the mental illness about people, because it's not the weapons that are being produced," Jerry said. "It's their mental state. ... We need more therapists, like a lot more therapists, because people need to express their feelings with someone."

Jerry and his friends think the conversations went well and said they're committed to helping their peers stay positive and focused to bring peace to their schools.

"We got to talk about how we felt and how they felt about school and stuff and our safety," said Thomas Scott, a fourth-grader at Whitney Young.

The kids even inspired some of the adults in the room.

"I was just blown away with some of the things that were said in the small groups about what they promise, what they want to give back to our community," said Dr. Shervita West, principal at Brandeis. "And I think that that's very promising."

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