Gilbert Teens

N OVEM B E R 3O , 2O t 4
GILBERT
STUDENTS
IACKL
T[
TEEN
TABLE
The Sunday Republican today debuts "Teen Table," 6 rou6d table drscu55ionin which we lind out wh. l s
on the minds of the nett generation
or ledders, workers and parents.
Reporte. (urt Moffett recently sat
down with five students at the
Gilbert Schoolin Wi.sted and asted
them questionson a wicle array of
t opics,f r om so cia lmed ia t o s er ual
educat io nto th eirfe ars a bout t he?
ow n f ut!res.Ihe stu de ntswer e 17yearold seniors olivia Ortman and
Rik Emery;ahd l6-year-old ju niors
Jordan Jo hn so n,ls.be lleRein and
8I t(UnttotfErr
Do,ou suysfeelyou
communicate
moreface
to faceor rhroughsocial
mediaandcell phones?
Isabelle:Deiuritel) mote
throush socjalmedia. I ve had
points in my life rvbereI had so
much more confidencelriheDI n)
te\ting bccausepeoplecaD'l see
Upperclassm€n
tiomthe GllbertSchoolinWlnstedparticipat€Nov.18in T€enTable.
a roundrabled
with Republlcan-Amerlcan
reporterKurt Moftettasthe moderator.Above,hom teft,Mottett,Olivla(
RlkEmery,.Jordan
John5on,lsabelleRelnandJakeW€ndel.Belowleft, Emerymakesa poantasJohn
questlonby floftett.
Reinlook on. Belowrlght,Ortmananswersa
TH E S U N D A YR E P UBLI CAN 3: I
TACKLE
TEEN
ISSUE
UDENTS
I rt.rrtedgoingthroughpuhelry
because
that'sreallyrvh€nbasic
sexualurgesstartedhappenirg.
I'm goingtobehonestI i|enr
throughpubertyat a really!oung
age.I hadsomanyquesrions
aDd
noanswersfor allthe rvayup to,I
think,seventhgradebeibrewe
startedsettinga linle t it of infor
mationaboutit
Q: Do yoowantto stayin Corfrom
necticutwhenyouSraduate
Cilbert and do you {,ant to find a
job in Winstedandraiseafamily
here?
Jordan: My parentsare goingto
be movins downSouthin a couple
ofyearsandI planto gowith them.
And Connecticut
doesn'trcallydo
aq,thing for thelr in-statekids for
collese.DownSouth,ifyou'rea
residentfor a year.yougetadvantageson collegepncessoits
nftomtheGllbert SchoollnWlnstedpa.tlclpateNov 18InleenTable,aroundtablediscussion
an-Ame canrepoderKurt Motfettasthe modelatorAbove,ftom lell, Moffett,ollvla ortman,
dan Johnson,lsab€lleRelnlndJeke Weddel.Belowleft,Emerymakesa polnt rs Johnsonand
l€low rlght,ortmrnlnswers rquestlon by l.loffett.
Jake:Connecticut
is boring.
Isab€lle:I don'twanllostay
herebecausel've beentoevery
stateon theeastside,l'veseeD
like everywhereelseandI'min
lovewith everythingbut Connecticut....I've spentmy lvhoie
life hereso I'd kind oflik€ lo stan
the restofmy life somewh€re
Jake:Ev€nifI wereto stayin
Connecticut,
I definitelywouldn't
stayin winsted...a lot ofrveird
olivia; I'm probablygorngto
leaveConnecticut,
notbecause
I
don'tlike it, butmorebecause
of
job opponunities.
Rik I wantto becomeatrorthoD€dicsurs€on(and)voudonl '
Rik I don't usesocial mediaas
muchandI try not to engageio it
just becduseof th€ issuestbat crn
com€ftom it. I lotice that soorctimes l becomemore nenous talking on the telephoneor texting or
messagiDg
or \{hatever thaa fac€
to faceb€causeyou misstboselitde socialcues,in just body lanSuageandalsotoneof loice,
Ifab€ll€: They might not meaD
the sam€thing you thiDt it means.
WhenI get a text, I r€ad everything ljnd of like in my own voice
andsoifl wa8sayrnSit, I put c€ltair enucietions on ever!'thng so
I don'tkm{r how the other peison
lhinks.
Q: Do yo! tlto|( dru$ like m8dhrrra shouldbe lelllzed? Why o!
rbmt?
lsabellerNo.Just becaus€I
,g€w up in a farDilywhele I had
family memberswbo bad problemsand my rDomalwaystauSht
me,'Dont do that." Like dly dad
alwaystaught me, "Dont do that."
And like now I have ftiends \irho
are like, "Do ttis." It's just like
howI wasbrDugbtup, I guess,and
I'm kind ofstubbom sometimes.
SoI dobt nec€ssadlygo aloDg
with wbat all of my friends do.I
juit doD'tlike the way it wo*s on
peopl€either, like it messeswith
yourhead.
Jordan:I just feel it affectspeople iDwaysthat c€n be very neSative, AI|d my mom al*ays told me
that therc's a goodroad you cr.ngp
dowlrand a bad mad, andyou have
to choosethat. I think drugs caD
leadto certain things, like to go
downthat bad mad.
Rik: Personally,I woutE'tus€
them. However,I do think it
shouldbe legalizedjust becruseit
is il€gal to usewithout a F€scriplion. It makespeoplewonder
aboutit, and I think that's what
makespeopletae it at ffrst, I don't
think it's a goodor a badthilg beca|rsetherc are gmd aspects,it's
kno$mto help people,particularly
thos€who havecanceror evenme
personally,I get very sever€mieraircs fr€queDdy,so I would be a
candidatefor medicalmadjuana.
Howeve!,there's alaothat, when
you get that later high, ]ou'rc not
m a true q)nsclousness,soyou
don't alwaysmakethe most rational decisiols.
Isab€lle:Like be8inniry of
ft€shtrtanyesr, nobodyrealy did
a4'rhing, but by the middle of
gFONA I.oT OF KIDS,SH TODAYISI{T REALLYAN OPENTOPIC.'
OLIVIAOR'iHAN
GILBERTSCIiOOLSENIOR,
I7
freshmanyear, a lot ofmy friends
werc like, "Try $is, try this, try
this," and I'm like, "Not really."
Personally,I nev€r haveard I never really wantedto- But I coosidered itjust b€€awemy friends
werc like so peraisteoton it that I
would like. "OK. I'm different and
they'r€ not goinSto like me becauseI don't do that" altd that happenedthroughoutfreshmanyearAnd then sophomorcyeer, I kind
oflike gaveup on tritrg to maxe
them happywith tvho I wa8.SoI
just stoppedthinkiDgaboutit and
it kird offaded assy.
J.le I b€lievein to a cerlain exteDtwhat Rik said,like medical
maaijuanacan help you out vely
well, but ifyou just do it to do it,
then ies defitritely a mgative.
olMs: I wouldn't legalizeit. ...
In my family,I'tn the onewho's
very contolled. I like to makesule
that everytbing I'm doinSI'm in
cootrol ofit,
.IEVENIF I WEIRETO
STAY|l{ CODtNEcTtClrT,
I DEFINITELYWOI.|LDITT
STAYIN WIiISTED. - A
I.O' OF WEIRD PEOPLE
JAKEWENDEL
GILBERT
SCHOOL
JUNIOR,
16
Q: Whltperce rge ofyour
pa€r! would you saytale 6ome
klDdof le$l druS?
All fiv€ estimatedb€tween50
a 75 percent.
Q: Iroes rhat relDforre whrt
yo!'re ssyfugrbout Dotl€atlidtr8
mrtltuaDa?
Ollvir: The salnegroup of us
usedto b€ iD every cla$ together
pr€tty much and you ldow 1{e
spentso much time in schooltogedrcrthat we wele gr€at friends
outsideof scbool.And evenwhen
w€ bmwht p€opleitr from different classes,and we'djust hangout,
you know,bonfires, sfiiff like that.
But siDcet!eo, l've lost a decent
amouDtof friends, I car talk to
them in schml, but like outsideof
school,I can't really talk to them
or seethem becauseit's a new
thing where all they wallt to do is
D watch Erln covey's vldeo
of the Teenrablo and s€€
. loneer ve6lon of thls
partying and druCs,arfi I'm not interested.
JordaD:Peoplechange.
lsabell€: I feel like that happens
throughouthiSh school.WhenI
was like in middle school,vrehada
group about like 15,20,25peopl€
wherelike every binhday party
we had thosewere the 25 people
tbat would be ther€. Er?ryone
would go,like we'd be happy,havin8 fun, but now I havelik€ four or
five peoplethat I alwayshangout
with like consistendy.In high
school,I havelike 6ve frieIrds.
That souds prctty depr€ssiDg,but
it's not. It's the only peopleI want
itlound.
JordrD: Peoples€parateandlike
dorbet own thing ard
youlsrow.
haveto le€ln to acc€ptit,
'oujust
Isabelle: But in a way it's kjnd of
like sad.Like ofall thosep€ople,
Weusedto hangout with, and now
you cant- It'sjust not the sameany
O Eow much ser educationdo
you 8ct it Gllbert?
l3abellerNone.... Wetook a
health classsophomoreyear.
Olivia: lfs usuallyjust aboutthe
diseasesyou can get andthe proQ: IB that goodor bad?Do you
rYart aexed?
Isab.lle: lfa teachercameupto
me atrdstartedtalkiDgto me about
sex,I'd tum amund and walk
away.My Frents havetalk€d to
me aboutit beforc, andit's always
like a "What if.i'' kiDdof situation.
Jordr!: I tbink it alsodepends
on your Parents,too,like if theY
havean opehcommunication.Like
my paEnts and I havea really bi8
opencommunicationso I'm basically able to talk to them about
an,lhing.
Rik ADybodythat I've talked to
that's bad a sexualeducationclass,
the clsss alwayshiShlightsthe bad
things about sexualintercoune.
But there's also goodthincrs,like
cenain chemical r€leesesaswell
as ... stuff like that.
Ollila: I tbink that a
able 6s it is to sit in a c
about it,I actuallythit
be beneficial for kids.
defrnitely l.jds who c€
ard talk to their paren
but there ar€ alsokidr
ent6don't waot to talk
they're confused.
Jale Also,ifther€.
that would preve[t rnj
happeningsokids wor
kDowwbat they're dol
ple get pregnant,
Itrbelle: I feel like :
classaboutit, too,lik€
arc jusl inter€sted,lil
curious,like, "What h
That sort of thing. I kt
my friends in the eigt
stufrwith her botafrie
just becauseshewas
'
didn't know what was
happen,shedidn't rcr
what to do,shejust ki
becaus€shewascuri,
Rlk In the caseof r
never hada full discu
with either of therh.I
ly at aI would be wid
I think it's gettingles
commonfor parents1
kids aboutthat becao
aboutit thems€lvesri8ht or wrcng - and
tem€t.
Ollvla: I think that'
prcbl€m. For a lot of
day r€ally isn't an op'
lot of kids can't talk a
haveto hide it, which
mofe questions,
Jrle; If therc'sa cl
wher€you c€ll getth
out ofyou mind and
thing up aboutit.
Isabelle lt's hardI
now,too,because$)
jwt male jokes abou
iust feel awkwat{.
Qr What do yor tbi
Dmpaiatea8eio 6tar
€d?
Jate: Maybeifit v
many€ar ..,sothey I
aod bow what the d
Don't hold 'em out rx
senioryear, or collel
Rlklthinklwoul
havestartedlermlq
f f ilf fi l I
NVln€nd3u VONnS3HI
flyr*.
/trtsluou
oR A I.oT OF XIDS,SEXIODAY ISN'T REAILY AN OPE}I TOPICJ
OLIYIAOR'HAN
GILBERTSCHOOLS€NIOR,I7
I lot of my frieods
bis,Iry this, tly
:e,"Not€ally."
,er haveandI nevto. But I considlr3etrly friends
istent on it that I
, I'm different and
I to like me bthat" aDdthat hapLrlfr€sbnan year.
nore year, I kjnd
n Eying to male
r who I was.SoI
*ing aboutit and
rnray,
3in to a certalnexjd, lite Dedicrl
€lp you out very
o9l do it to do it,
ly a legative.
dnt l€galizeit. ...
I like to makesure
I'm doingI'm in
,ENETO
{NEcTlctrt,
YVvOtt-otft
.STED- A
RDPEOPLE
L
)LJUN|OR,16
ertaSPofyoua
u 8aytake 6ome
Lrug?
,ted beween 50
lelEforce whrt
boul Dotl€SrllziDa
rme grcup ofus
'ety classtoSether
time itr schooltowereSrEatfaiends
Dle h from differI we'djust hrng out,
ir€s, stufr like that.
I'!€ lost a decent
ds. I cantalk to
but like outsideof
cally talk to them
xuteltsanew
they want to do is
rr watch Enn covey's vldeo
ot the T€€nLbl€ and see
a lonserv.Elon of thls
pdtying and drugs,andI'm not interested.
Jordan PeoplechangeIsabcu.: I feel like lhat bappens
thmughout high school.WhenI
waslike in middle school,l'e had a
gmup aboutlike 15,20,25 people
wberc like every birthday party
se bad th6e were the 25people
that would be ther€. Everyone
wodd go,like we'd be happy,havin8 fuir, but now I havelike four or
fve peoplethat I alwaysbangout
with like consktendy.In high
school,I havelike frve fiends.
Tbat souDdspEtty depr€ssin8,but
itt not. lt's the only peopleI \rrant
JordaD:Peoples€pErateandlike
do theil own thiDgandyoujust
haveto leam to acceptig youk!ow.
kabell€: But iD a way it's kind of
like sad.Like of all thosepeople,
we usedtjohaDgout wid\ and r|ow
you cant. It's just not the sameany
Q: How mucb Bu €ducadondo
you 8Et!t Gllb€rt?
I3abelle:None....Wetook a
health classsophomorcyear.
Olivla: It's usuallyjust aboutdrc
diseasesyou canget andthe proQ: IB that goodor brd? Do you
faDt set ed?
Iaabelle If a teachercam€up to
me and stafted talking to me about
sex,I'd tum amund and walk
all,ay.My parcnt6bavetalked to
me aboutit befor€,and it's always
Iike a "What if?" tind of situatioD.
Jordr!: I thitrk it alsodep€Dds
otr your p8r€!ts, too,like if they
have an opencommuDication.l,ike
my par€ntsand I hav€a really big
op€Dcommunication$oI'm bssically able to talk to tlrcm about
anylhing.
Rlk Anybodythat I've talked to
that's had a sexualeducationclass,
the clais alpays hiSbli€ib the bad
tbiDgsaboutsexualintercouse.
But thet!'s alsogoodthings,like
certain chemicalr€lersesar well
as ... stufflike that.
Olff.: I think that asuncomfortsble asit is to sit in a classand talk
about it,I actuallythink it would
be beneficial for l.i&. There ale
defrnitely kids wbo c€r go home
and talk to their par€ntsaboutit,
but therc are alsokrds whoseparents donl want to telk about it, so
the],'rc confusedJate: Ako, if there wasa class
that would preventmistakesfmm
happenirBso kids wodd actuauy
kDowwhat they'rc doirg,like people get pre8natrt.
Ilabelle: I feet like if we had a
classaboutit. too.like a lot of krds
arc just intelested,like they'r€ just
curious,like, "What happens?"
That sort of thing. I know oneof
my fiends in the eighth grade did
s$frwith her bMriend aDdit was
iust becauseshewascurious.She
didn't ktrowwhat wasgoingto
happett,shedidn't r€ally know
what to do,shejust kind of did it
becauseshewascuriousRlk In the caseof my family, I
never hada full discussionabout it
with either of th€m. An''thing really at aI wouldbe with my dad.But
I think it's getting lessand less
commonfor parcntsto talk to their
ki& aboutthat beca$e kids le{rn
aboutit themselves- whether it's
right or wlong - and fmm the Intemet.
Olivla: I think that's part ofthe
prcblem. For a lot of kids, sextoday rcally isnl an op€ntopic. Soa
lot of tifu can't talk aboutit, they
haveto bide it, whicb leadsto
monequ€su()!rs.
Jrk€: If ther€'s a class,that's
whereyou canget thosequestions
out of your mind andclear everything up aboutit
tsabcu€:It'5 hard to ralk about
now,too,becauseso manykidg
just makejokesaboutit. ... People
just feel awkward.
Q: What do you tbibk is tbe !F
pmpdate 8geto sterl ia*ing ser
ed?
Jaler Maybeifit waslike freshmanyear ,,. sothey knor, $hat it is
and know what the dangersar€.
Dont hold 'em out util jmior or
senioryerr, or college.
Rik I think I would'veliked to
havestalted leaminSabout it once
the soutb, I definrtelywouldol
mind stayinain Winsted,rabing a
family and lettiDgtbem go to
Cilben andaI that just becau6€
I've had a very goode*perience
u'ith that and I got to wherc I am
now. ... But I don't think it's plausi
ble just bec€useof economicoF
pomrury.
.rNtflE sPEctn|tr oF
AWHOI.EUFEWERE
STIII SO YOUNGAND
WERE tlAlO]{G IHESE
HUGEUFE DEClSlOfrlS
THATOOUI.DIIAKE OR
BREAI( OIJREIITIRE UFE'
RIKE ERY
GILBERT
SCHOOL
SENIOR,
]7
Q: Are yourYoFiedaboot tour
irtur€?
|rabcllq lt's all Soiogto b€ put
on us - all the Drltrles.
Olivi.: I think, erp€ciatlyfor
senioNbut eveDfor hrghschool
aDdcoU€gpkids, a bi8 of fear of
mine,a I loow ftod| talking to
others,we'r€ terrified of goingto
college,How are we goingto pay
for college?What'sgoing to happen whenwe 8et out of college?
Will there be ajob? Will we make
enoughmoneyor are we goinSto
be in permanentdebt?What'sgoing to bapp€Dto us?
JordrD: I take a p€rSooalEnancecla$ with Jakeabd we bad
this scenario:we haveajob, we
arc buyitrgan aparuneDt,we have
a c€r and\ite 8ot to seehow much
debtwe wer€ l! - lite Doteven
thiDliDg abouthow much we wer€
spending,and like sorreof us wer€
thousa4b ahd thousandsof dollal3 in debt.
Jele: Everyonein the classwas
in debt.
hadto see
Jordar: Then
cut backon what you hadto ''ou
whatt a necessityand what is a
Jale: ... which was really hard.
Rlk Tuition is a hugeissue....
Evenifwe fteand his older sister)
botl go to tbe samecollegeor even
if I EBtlots of scholalships,it's stiu
sucha Friancialburdenon all of us
as a family. ... In the sp€cEumof a
wholelife, we'rc still 3oyoulg aDd
we'.€ oakiD8 thesehuSelife decisionsthat could makeor br€ak our
entir€ life.
Gr f f i r f f i
ArtsIu0Urutor)