The Chronicle Viewpoint By Declan Boyle Head Features Editor Should the minimum voting age be lowered to 16? Proponents argue that if we trust 16-year-olds to drive, we should trust them to vote. This idea is preposterous, and we cannot allow this to happen. Many lawmakers and teenagers are pushing for the voting age to be lowered nationwide. They say that 16-year-olds are no less competent than 22-year-olds, and therefore, they should be allowed to vote. Providing 16-year-olds the ability to vote is problematic because many teenagers are uninformed and apathetic. I can name countless people whose only source of information is Twitter. Regardless of your personal beliefs, it’s pertinent to recognize that Twitter has a left-wing bias. Obviously all news is biased, but teenagers are less likely to recognize this bias than adults. Very few seniors read the news, let alone sophomores and juniors. Without having a base knowledge of political events, your vote is merely along party lines. Junior Annaleise Georgi thinks it’s a bad idea to lower the voting age. “I don’t know if it’s the best idea,” Georgi said. “So many teenagers are not informed and simply vote their parents’ beliefs.” Courts in the United States do not treat minors as responsible adults, why should they be allowed to affect the government? Most courts in the United States will treat minors differently than those under the age of 18. If the judicial system does not think teenagers have the mental capacity to understand the gravity of crimes, then why should they be trusted to make drastic change to the lives of every American? As aforementioned, people think allowing 16-year-olds to drive is more serious than allowing them to vote, but voting has a much less direct affect as driving. Realizing that if you text and drive, you could die is an obvious connection; however, electing someone who causes a recession is arguably more dangerous All across the nation, political polarization is a problem. Allowing teenagers to vote is only going to exacerbate this. Math teacher Kurt Mergen stated: “My biggest concern is that it’s possible our government wasn’t designed to respond effectively to thewhoever’s April 2019 Lowering the National Voting Age? Are 16-year-olds knowledgable to cast a ballot in major elections mercurial nature of teenagers. Everyone deserves a voice, but fads change so quickly. Two or four years is too long to leave the decision to tweet shifts the political spectrum.” It’s widely known that politics in the United States are becoming more along party lines rather than individual opinions. Allowing teenagers to vote, who typically don’t know any candidates other than the presidential, will do nothing more than polarize our nation. It is true that many teenagers are able to develop opinions; however, many teenagers do not. Allowing teenagers the right to vote is going to drastically change this great nation we reside in. Although it is possible this change could be for the better, other nations that have this lower voting age tend to be in shambles. Our political system has enough issues; adding one more is a dangerous game to play. We cannot lower the voting age to 16, not just for our sake, but for the sake of the nation. Changing Weather Alters Student Behavior Warmer weather leads to antsy and energetic students By Jailyn Settle Staff Reporter Research has shown signs that the weather, in fact, has a lot to do with student behavior. In 1997, Carrie Dabb studied a group of elementary school children and divided them by gender, age, and grade. Her research found that students were more energetic and antsy during the spring and summer, while they were calmer and more focused during the fall and winter. Dabb’s research supports what I have said for years, that the weather has a big impact on how a student acts. “I’d say as it gets warmer, my ability to focus starts to go off the wall,” senior Max Stevenson said. “I never know what to do with myself.” On warm, sunny days, students lose focus. They are start daydreaming of all the things they would rather be doing, instead of focusing on their school work. For students who have trouble focusing when the weather heats up, experts suggest that they play a sport. Ahletes who participate in spring and summer sports tend to have better behavior and be in better moods than those who don’t. Researchers believe this is due to the fact that they have practice and that practice wears them out; they are too tired to act out. Athletes are also held to higher standards. “Athletes represent the school,” Shelly Norden, publications adviser, said. “Those who wear the Kettle Run name, need to represent it well.” Athletes also have coaches and teammates who depend on them, so they need to Oops! Our Bad! The Chronicle @ Kettle Run is a student-run newspaper. We try our best to correct all errors, but realize there are times that errors are not caught and are printed. Please email snorden@fcps1.org with any errors that need to be addressed. News 3 keep their grades up and behavior on par, so that they can complete in games. “I am constantly in school, studying, or at practice,” sophomore Charlie Niber said. “I think students who are involved in sports are most likely to behave better since all of their mandatory activities are so time-consuming.” Niber spends his afternoons at lacrosse practice and playing in games. Humidity also plays a huge part in behavior. Researchers found that on humid days, people are more irritable and tired. When the air has a high moisture content, sweat cannot evaporate, leaving our bodies feeling hot and sticky. To cool off, our bodies must work even harder which can leave us irritable and tired. While the warm weather energizes some, there are others who prefer the cooler months. “I feel more energetic during the winter because I have school and basketball to keep me occupied,” sophomore Sam Malloy said. “During the spring and summer, I feel like I am constantly tired.” While seasonal depression happens more in the cooler months, there are some who are impacted in the summer. No matter when the depression kicks in, there are things students can do to lessen the depression. If you struggle during the cooler months, use a light box. Also, make an effort to spend some time outside every day. Even when it’s cloudy, there are some benefits to being outdoors. Diet also plays an important role. Students should eat a well-balanced diet and include sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals. These additional nutrients will give students more energy. Avoid starchy and sweet foods. These feeds provide quick bursts of energy, but leave you more tired in the long run. Diet plays a huge role in mood. Exercise, even if it’s just 30 minutes, does wonders for mood. Experts recommend 30 minutes three times a week. “This is one area I struggle,” Norden said. “I know that spending some time on the treadmill will give me more energy; I just can’t make myself do it during the winter months. It’s even harder when it gets dark at 4 p.m.” Another way to combat seasonal depression is to make plans with friends. Stay busy doing things you enjoy with people you love. Whether the weather has a drastic effect on you or someone you know, there are things you can do to lessen the impact. Take control of the situation.
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