WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Twenty-three Penn State students joined the Campaign to End AIDS on Saturday, an event that drew supporters from across the United States to spread AIDS awareness and get lawmakers' attention.

Many who participated in the campaign were members of caravans that had traveled from places such as Los Angeles, New York and Seattle, stopping in cities and towns along the way to tell people about their message. At the opening ceremony outside RFK Stadium, the crowd heard speeches from members of different caravans.

"As we walked through these cities and towns, we've met the most amazing people," said Valerie Jimenez, a caravan member who said she walked from New York to Washington, D.C., over a period of 21 days.

"For me, it's a journey I never thought I would take, but HIV is a journey I never thought I would be on either," she said.

Out in the crowd, members of the caravan from Seattle held up pictures of their co-chairman, who died of AIDS-related causes in August.

"He was very central to our organization," said Allen Murray, a member of the Seattle caravan. Murray added that even though new medications are available for AIDS, people are still struggling.

"It's a state of emergency," said Michael Pickering, the campaign coordinator for Washington, D.C.

Drew Labanoski (junior-philosophy) watched the speakers at the opening ceremony and said he admired their ability to talk openly about their disease. He said that when his father developed a serious disease shortly before his freshman year at Penn State, Labanoski was at the hospital often and became motivated to support people struggling with any disease.

Lori Zimmaro (graduate-community and economic development) helped carry a banner in the march following the opening ceremony.

"It's great to have people of all ages from across the country come together and address an issue that affects all of us," she said.

The marchers began their walk outside RFK Stadium and wound through the suburban streets of Washington. Along the way they chanted: "Hi-ho, hi-ho, to Washington we go, we're paving the way to the end of AIDS, hi-ho, hi-ho," and "I don't know, but I've been told, Bush got a cure for AIDS on hold."

Throughout the march, cars driving by honked in support.

As marchers entered residential neighborhoods, people came to their doors with their children to watch campaigners pass by.

"It's a pretty moving experience, and a good show of togetherness," said Katie Koehler, president of Penn State's Global AIDS Initiative, the on-campus organization that got Penn State involved in the campaign.

Christine MacAulay, Class of 2005, who started Penn State's Global AIDS Initiative in fall 2002, was also present for the event. She said she was happy to see Penn State students at the event because they "can be a tremendous source of social change."

"So many people coming from so far across the country is a powerful message that this is something we must take notice of and act on," she said.

The march ended at Anacostia Park with a rally that included more speakers for the campaign. Watching the rally was Armand Cachero, an HIV-positive man from Los Angeles.

"As youth, we have the strongest power because we are the future," he said. "Now that we know, it will be our fault if we don't take action."