Walker students make good grades, get into good colleges, and have a good reputation in our community… but do they know anything about the real world? Can they successfully answer the questions: What’s going on in the world around you? Can you name your governor or a member of Congress for your district? State even the vice president of United States? I asked students at the Walker school questions like these and questions more specific to the presidential election coming up into 2016. As a news junkie and political science student myself, I didn’t expect my classmates to be super aware on different candidates stances concerning hot topics or talk politics. All the polls say that students are the most out of touch and unaware citizens that care the least. But, to my surprise, many students at Walker have watch the debates and are trying their best to stay informed even though they are extremely busy.

Senior Jenny Liang says that she supports, “More cooperative foreign policies (not that it is not now) and a more welcoming attitude towards prospective immigrants with talents or capitals.” However, she also thinks that there should be “more harsh enforcement on the punishment of undocumented aliens.” Jenny, an AP Comparative Government student also supports “an absolute restriction (elimination) of nuclear weapons in North Korea.” Senior, Barrett Kulik says that he “supports Marco Rubio because of his economic and tax reform policies as well as his position on ISIS, immigration and his conservative ideals.” Barrett, a student in Human Rights, also said he, “would like to see tax reform done so that small businesses aren’t as restricted in regards to their ability to hire workers” and “hopes that Obamacare is repealed and state border lines are removed for insurance companies and hopefully a ground coalition being led by the United Sates against ISIS.” Both Jenny and Barrett agree that informed voting is a privileged we are afforded in the United States by the Constitution, and that it should be taken advantage of.

Personally, I think this motivation to stay informed is derived from the fact that students at Walker are taught to think for themselves and form their own opinions. Walker history teachers like Dr. Schafer and Mr. Killian, and even just a fellow student myself, are proud to see their students and my peers debating the future of our country at the lunch table. Even if we don’t share the same values or have the same opinions, I am proud that students at Walker feel that they can take a stance and have a voice. Even if for now this sharing is just sharing amongst ourselves.