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COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- Federal authorities are working with students across South Carolina to take a stand against gun violence.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says members of his office are meeting with students across the state Wednesday.

Nettles says nearly 69,000 students from 119 schools across South Carolina have agreed to sign a voluntary pledge that they will never take a gun to school. The students are also promising not to use a gun to resolve a dispute and to try to influence their friends to do the same. Younger children are pledging not to touch guns and to tell a teacher or trusted adult if they see one.

Several local schools and law enforcement agencies are participating in this year’s pledge including the Columbia Police Department.

“The gun safety pledge for students is going to be a great initiative to open dialogues for parents, families, anyone who has guns, about gun safety because obviously the goal is to reduce the amount of gun violence that we have in our communities,” says Columbia Police Deputy Chief Ruben Santiago.

Nettles says the effort is part of South Carolina's Project CeaseFire, a program designed to reduce gun violence.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)