With the 2022 midterm election for the senate, U.S. representation, county officers and governors in less than two weeks, some ADM students are getting ready to vote for the very first time. While most students are not old enough to vote quite yet, a select few seniors are 18 and ready to share their opinions with the world.

History teacher, Nolan Gitch believes that politics should be important to all ADM students. According to Gitch, “It is really a way for people to voice their opinions and let their opinions be heard… Understanding what is going on in politics now is going to affect you in the future.” He thinks being informed is important. Democrat Lydia Reynolds agrees. She says that whoever is going to be in charge is choosing what is going on in her life.

Reynolds does not feel particularly informed on the current election, but believes that voting is extremely important because the world “needs your voice.” Although she may not feel her knowledge of current politics is superfluous, she has had many discussions about it with her parents. Reynolds is passionate about health care, abortion rights and the school system as these are things she thinks “need the most work in the United States and Iowa.” If she was allowed to vote in the 2022 midterms, Reynolds would vote for Deidre DeJear for governor.

Like Reynolds, Republican Izzie Hawbaker wants our next set of leaders to put time into the school system. Hawbaker feels that things like school lunches need to be improved. She says schools need to make food, “a bit more enjoyable for the kids, but also make it healthy and cheap enough for people.” Hawbaker agrees with some of the standards implemented under Obama’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, but thinks that healthy foods do not need to taste bad. She also wants schools to work on making a curriculum that is more focused on learning life skills.

Students’ opinions at ADM are not all identical. That is why people like Gitch think everyone needs to voice their point of view. He says, “It is your opinion. You get a chance to influence the direction of our country so you should take advantage of that opportunity.” Along with Reynolds and Hawbaker, he believes voting is important, and everyone should do it. Gitch advises people to research politicians’ platforms online before voting and become as educated as they can on the election, even if they are years away from voting themselves.