Dear Future President,

I believe that school times should be pushed back for teenagers. A lot of schools start at eight in the morning and I even know some kids my age who start at seven. Many students come to school tired and unprepared. There have been researches that show that children should sleep for eight to ten hours. Most teenagers aren’t getting that kind of rest which is why school systems should change their times.

In many morning classes of mine there are numerous kids who are either caught sleeping or with their heads down on their desk. Studies show that teenagers should get around eight to ten hours of sleep each night. Only 15% have claimed to actually get at least eight hours of sleep. Getting a good night’s rest is important to us. There are other researches that show that teenagers should sleep in till ten in the morning. A lot of students find themselves waking up around six or seven in the morning, not well rested. Our bodies are still growing and need that rest. Sleep is just vital to everyone’s well-being. Many adults think that we choose to stay up late and that’s why we are constantly tired all the time. This isn’t always true. Most teenagers have a busy schedule. Being caught up in sports, piles of homework, and even jobs can have us staying up at late hours of the night. A lack of sleep can limit your ability to learn. Students have a difficult time concentrating in their early classes and doing well on tests and work. Student’s need to be well rested and ready to learn especially in high school. In high school, grades are important. They’re most important because they can determine what college we get into or the job we apply for when we are older. If teenagers don’t get the right amount of rest they need then their grades can easily fall. High school students who drive themselves to school are also in danger. When you’re tired and drowsy, you tend not to pay attention to objects around you very well. This can lead up to car crashes.

Pushing back school times is something I think you should strongly consider. Even if it was just by an hour, it would still give some students an extra hour of sleep that is very much needed. Students need sleep to be able to do well in school, and without pushing back times then concentrating and doing our best in school is a lot harder.

Sincerely,

Hannah S.