It's not everyday that a Grade 8 student quotes former British prime minister Winston Churchill.

"Before I started, I expected that not everyone would like it,” Pascale Halliday, an F.H. Collins Secondary School student said in an interview this morning.

"Winston Churchill said if you have enemies, that means you stood up for something in your life, and that's the view I've been taking,” she told the Star.

She was referring to the protest she and 23 other students staged at the legislature on Dec. 4.

They were out to send a message to the government that losing their school gym for 2 1/2 years beginning in March 2013 is not an option they would support.

Following the demonstration, David Laxton, the Speaker of the legislative assembly, sent a letter to the students. It said their protest showed a lack of understanding for the democratic processes and institutions that soldiers have fought to protect.

"I was really surprised that someone took that view,” said Halliday.

"We were just trying to get our point across. We weren't trying to disrespect anyone, especially not veterans.”

Nineteen students signed a letter in response to the one they received.

"We did this action to make sure we do have a gym and meant no disrespect to your military service. We greatly respect your service and the sacrifices men and women, and many of our relatives, have made to protect our freedom,” they wrote.

"However, we would like to point out that we owe many of our freedoms to sacrifices made by citizens who have taken part in social change movements,” they continued, referencing the suffrage movement and the fight to end South African apartheid.

"If it had not been for people who stood up for what they believed in, sometimes in ways that challenged social norms and respected institutions, we would not have some of the freedoms and rights to express our opinions freely as described in our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

"In closing, we have heard that youth are often criticized for not participating in politics or for being concerned and involved on important issues. the peaceful protest we staged is an example of young people, like us, taking a stand on an issue we care about deeply.”

Halliday said, "We were sort of trying to point out to him that we never meant any harm but also that if we did do harm, then we hope that people would understand that we just really wanted the government to listen to us.”

In an interview earlier this week, Laxton reiterated that protests, "silent or otherwise,” are not permitted in the house.

"Protests outside the legislature are perfectly all right and welcome, actually.

"These students, I applaud them for their desire to be heard and to speak, but they spoke to the two ministers responsible for the rebuilding of the school,” Laxton said.

"The minister (Education Minister Scott Kent) introduced them, made everybody in the legislature aware of their presence. That's pretty good,” Laxton added.

"It was recognized, everybody knew why they were there, the statement was made. To stomp up and down the stairs and to stand up and draw attention to themselves serves no purpose and is disruptive to the proceedings.”

The issue has since popped up across national and social media.

Both The Globe and Mail and the National Post have published pieces about the protest and subsequent interaction between the Speaker and the students.

"It means we're getting a lot of support. It's just really great. I'm pretty proud, actually,” said Halliday of the national attention.

The gym will be lost due to work on the new $55-million school.

The Department of Education has said it's pursuing possible solutions to the problem.

See letters.