Around 17 University of Montana students and staff are making a trip to Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota to show support for the local protesters.

They have 3 university vans for the students, a U-Haul full of donations for the protesters, and they'll even have local community members caravanning behind them.

The purpose of this trip is not only to help the protesters there, but to educate the students on the serious matter at hand.

The protestors are a combination of over 200 tribes and they identify themselves as "water protectors."

They believe building the pipeline will disturb burial grounds, sacred lands, and would harm the tribe's drinking water, which comes from the Missouri River.

Organizer of this trip, Joseph Grady, who is also UM’s student involvement adviser, explained the objective of this trip.

"One of the important things is acknowledging that there is a human component. Aside from cultural, aside from racial and political, there are women and children and men protecting their homes. Our concern is for the people who are out there who are putting their own lives on the line, unarmed, standing in peaceful protest," said Grady.

UM student Kathleen Todd explained what she thinks the importance of this trip is.

"It's just a blessing to see people coming together around something so important, like water, and land, and life, and the sacredness of that. Truly wanting to protect that with their own freedom at risk is really powerful and I really hope that we can turn the violence around," said Todd.

Both Grady and Todd say another reason this trip will be really important is because it will bring awareness to indigenous and environmental rights-as well protecting land from irresponsible industrial practice.

The students and staff leave early Friday morning to begin their journey to the tribe. They'll be there for the whole weekend taking everything in, and helping the protesters.