Dear Editor,

Social media is ruining teenagers’ mental health and should have regulations.   Social media has made our attention spans a lot smaller and is making kids want to do less things. Which is not helping teens’ mental health. Somekids would rather sit inside and watch social media instead of going outside and being physical. Having certain regulations or screen time on social media would help because people can go outside more and enjoy more things outside of technology.  Most kids would say that social media helps them from boredom and helps them learn new things.  Though social media does help with those things. It also is allowing kids to compare themselves to others, and think that they are not good enough for themselves. These are some reasons why social media is ruining teenagers’ mental health and we should put screen time on these apps. 

-Jordan Johnson (9)

Dear Editor,

As  student athletes we have seen and experienced mental and physical crashouts. We see it all the time in players of all ages/skill/gender they just get burned out of their sports. We think some of it is the sport itself but I think a lot of it is because they have so much pressure on themselves. Student athletes are held to a much higher standard then the normal student. They are required to go to practice everyday for at least an hour and they are expected to get all of their homework done. But after all of that, how much time does that leave for themself. None. students take so much time doing things other people tell them to but then don’t get time to do what they want to do. We think a lot of the reason student athletes experience this type of crash out is because they don’t get time to just rest. They are always doing something. Whether it is going to practice or a game, doing homework for hours, or simply doing chores at home, they are always doing something. And yet they are still expected to go to bed at a decent time? We understand that the student signed up for the sport/s but they should have all of this pressure on them, for doing something they love. We not only as students but as adults need to support all the student athletes out there because they are already doing so much for other people they don’t have any time for themselves. 

-Kaylee Henderson (11)