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East Oregonian
Friday, March 8, 2019
Voting age: A lot of adults, students not well-informed
Continued from Page A1
“But in other circum-
stances, there are people who
don’t pay attention,” he said.
“It’s just another vote for their
parents.”
“I believe at 16, we’re not
well-informed of our views,”
said Lucia Wiley. “We rely on
social media. It’s not reliable,
and we’re impressionable. I
believe we wouldn’t be vot-
ing for what we believe, but
what our friends, or parents
believe.”
Several other students
echoed the idea that 16-year-
olds wouldn’t take the time to
get informed, but simply go
with what those around them
thought.
Alexis Perez said he felt
turnout for the youngest
group of voters was already
low.
“Sixteen-year-olds prob-
ably don’t have the knowl-
edge or base understanding,”
he said. “There’ll probably be
even less voter turnout.”
Sam Smelser said he likes
that the voting age is 18,
because it means most stu-
dents have completed high
school, and will hopefully
have some more understand-
ing of government.
“By that time, they’re
already most of the way
through civics class,” he said.
“At 16, most of them haven’t
had that.”
Taylor Greene said she was
opposed to lowering the vot-
ing age, but said that maybe
the solution was to teach those
classes to underclassmen.
“Then maybe we wouldn’t
be so hesitant,” she said.
Jessica Ferguson said she
was in favor of the change.
“At 16, I’d have appreci-
ated the right to vote,” she
said. “It was an election year,
and considering the results
of that election will probably
affect my first experience into
adulthood, I wish I could have
voted.”
Although most of Davis’
students felt 16-year-olds
weren’t ready to vote, many
acknowledged that those who
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Aaron Davis talks to his civics class at Hermiston High School during a discussion Thursday
about legislation to lower Oregon’s voting age to 16.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Lucia Wiley, a student in Aaron Davis’ civics class at Hermis-
ton High School, shares her thoughts Thursday on lowering
Oregon’s voting age to 16.
are of legal age may not nec-
essarily be informed, either.
“I think a lot of adults
get information from social
media as well,” Ferguson
said. “That was really preva-
lent in the 2016 election. Pick-
ing credible news sources is
probably harder for 16-year-
olds, but it affects adults too,
who are also influenced by
social media.”
Temple agreed.
“I’d say if being well-in-
formed is the criteria for being
able to vote, there are a lot of
adults who aren’t,” he said.
Davis didn’t share his per-
sonal opinion with students,
but said they had all brought
up well-informed points.
“More voters isn’t neces-
sarily better,” he said. “But
16- and 66-year-olds can
chose who to follow, whether
to isolate themselves, or what
they want to hear.”
Brad Rogers, a social stud-
ies teacher at Stanfield Sec-
ondary School, said most of
his students were not in favor
of the idea.
“I addressed some of the
older kids about it a couple
of weeks ago,” he said. “I
was surprised at how many
thought it was a bad idea.”
He said some said they felt
that kids would just vote the
way their parents do.
One student, though, said
it was a good idea, because he
thought it would force schools
to teach civics.
Rogers himself said he
wasn’t in favor of the change.
“I think it’s a ploy by peo-
ple in power right now to get
more voters,” he said. “I don’t
think 16-year-olds should be
able to vote — that’s just my
opinion.”
Brian Johnson, a social
studies teacher at Pendle-
ton High School, said he had
talked about the proposal with
his students.
“It appeared most of my
seniors were not in favor of
lowering the voting age to
16,” he wrote in an email to
the East Oregonian. “Stu-
dents cited the fact that soph-
omores and juniors have not
had a government class and
maturity issues as reasons to
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Sam Smelser, a student in Aaron Davis’ civics class at Hermiston High School, shares his
thoughts on lowering Oregon’s voting age to 16.
oppose the measure.”
According to an article by
the Oregonian/OregonLive,
the bill would give 16-year-
olds the right to vote in all
elections, but may ultimately
only apply to state and local
elections. The article reported
that Democratic state Sen.
Shemia Fagan, who intro-
duced the measure, said that
teens were begging to be able
to take action to protect their
own futures. She referenced
the students from Parkland,
Florida, who gained national
attention for their activism
for gun control after a mass
shooting at their school in
2018.
The voting age was low-
ered from 21 to 18 in 1971,
as per the 26th Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution.
That was partly due to teens
opposed to being drafted for
the Vietnam War.
STATE CHAMPS!
Pick up your commemorative copy of the
Tuesday, March 5th East Oregonian celebrating
the Heppner Girls’ 2A and the Nixyaawii Boys’ 1A
State Basketball Championships.
These
EO file photo
Lifeguard Hayley Mele-Seibel watches over the multi-use pool during swim lessons Monday,
June 11, 2018, at the Hermiston Family Aquatic Center.
Lifeguards: ‘I get to be outside all day’
Continued from Page A1
Bradshaw enjoyed the job
and plans to return, but said
it’s important for applicants
to know that, “even though
it’s a fun job, make sure you
take it seriously.”
Making sure lifeguards
and swim instructors at
the aquatic center are good
swimmers is crucial, as a
life could be on the line. It’s
something lifeguards like
Kora Tratteen are acutely
aware of.
“It’s always my fear of
not getting something right,
because it could be some-
one’s life,” she said. “But the
training helped.”
Tratteen also plans to
return this year. She said she
applied last year because she
needed a summer job and as
a member of the Hermiston
High School swim team, it
seemed like “a natural fit.”
“The tan was definitely a
bonus,” she said.
Robbins said despite a tan
being a perk of the job, they
do ask their lifeguards to pro-
tect themselves with sun-
screen and make them “very
aware” of the risks of sun and
dehydration.
“If they have a longer shift
they work a split shift to get
them out of the sun, and keep
them hydrated,” she said.
Madi Wilson, another
returning lifeguard, said
that she loves the sense of
community and friendship
among staff. Coming to work
didn’t even really feel like a
job, she said, because she had
so much fun.
“I get to be outside all day,
I get to be in the sun, and I get
to help people and make sure
they’re safe,” she said.
Lifeguards’
training
doesn’t end after taking
classes on CPR, rescue tech-
niques and other lifesaving
skills. They participate in
“shadow shifts” where they
accompanied an experienced
lifeguard. During the season
there are also “live audits”
where supervisors get a cus-
tomer at the pool to pretend
they are drowning, while
the supervisor watches the
lifeguard respond, and then
gives them feedback.
Brandon Artz, recreation
supervisor, said the aquatic
center hires lifeguards of
all ages, from 15-year-olds
at their first job to teachers
looking for something to do
on their summer break. They
are also hiring a concessions
crew, front desk cashiers
and facility maintenance
positions.
Jessica Campbell is one of
the teachers who spends her
summer at the aquatic center,
working as a lead supervisor.
She said she applied three
years ago, and has enjoyed
it so much she will probably
continue to return for years
to come.
“Truly, the summers there
have been wonderful,” she
said. “It’s like a little summer
family.”
She said many people have
a misperception they need to
be on the swim team at their
school to apply, but there are
plenty of employees at the
pool who aren’t. She also said
that one thing that holds teens
back is worrying that a sum-
mer job might make them
miss out on a family vacation
or sports camp.
“They’re nervous to apply
because they don’t want to
miss out on those things, but
(pool managers) are very
accommodating,” she said.
Campbell said there are
downsides to the job — it can
be a long, hot shift out there
some days — but it can be
incredibly rewarding, partic-
ularly when she sees a life-
guard go through the emo-
tions of having just saved a
life.
“You hope you don’t ever
have to get in to save some-
body, but you do,” she said.
Registration is now open
for lifeguards at the Herm-
iston Family Aquatic Cen-
ter. Registration for the swim
tests can be completed online
at https://bit.ly/2H9xMkq.
Times are March 15 from
4:30-5:30 p.m. and March 16
from 9-10:30 a.m.
COLLECTIBLE
ORIGINAL
EDITIONS
are just
1
$ 50
each
at the EO offi ce, 211 SE Byers Ave.
in Pendleton, while supplies last.