(Adnkronos) – “As a 15-year-old student born and raised in Miami and now attending the American School of London, Donald Trump’s victory in the 47th presidential elections did not come to me as a surprise.
The U.S. elections in American schools, from middle to high schools, revealed both enthusiasm and division with political engagement. In American high schools, we are mostly well-educated about the U.S. election process, from primaries to the main election. This awareness often sparks conversations outside of class, with some eager but often cautious to share their views on candidates and issues. Topics are frequently debated in groups and Model United Nations conferences, where students are encouraged to choose a candidate based on a given topic of discussion, for example, immigration or foreign policy.
However, Trump’s polarizing and controversial figure presents a unique factor that tends to divide students, with everyone picking a side. This is sometimes driven more by the opinion of the person rather than the proposed policies. Regardless of the topics known and discussed, some high school students prefer Trump as he transmits a sense of power, strength, and even “fun”. In contrast, other students picked the Kamala Harris side because they disliked Trump’s aggressive approach, preferring her more gentle character. There is a vital personal element in the student’s support for the two presidential candidates. For sure, politics within the younger generations in American high schools seems to mostly revolve around the person and less around the party and the policies.
On both sides, extremists are the most vocal and visible at times, though a minority in schools. Some high schools allow students to wear their Make America Great Again hats on, with mixed reactions from the teachers and the other students. In contrast, other schools banned this to avoid any heated political arguments. Interestingly, there is a significant gender split regarding the candidates: most high school boys preferred Trump, whereas most girls sided with Harris. Again, some of it concerned personal feelings towards the candidates.
Endorsements are also significant factor for American high schools’ students. For example, Kamala Harris had many celebrities and artists endorse her, like Beyonce and Taylor Swift, and some even performed at her rallies, which, for many teenagers, created a sense of connection with Harris. However, others were only partially convinced by the artist’s endorsements, as Trump had more political and business figures like R.F.K. and Elon Musk on his side. Elon Musk is popular among American students, and his mix of entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, and alternative style has attracted the interest of many teenagers. All the while, Trump also had some “Gen Z” celebrities like Twitch streamer Adin Ross and Dana White endorse him, with Trump’s 18-year-old son, Barron Trump, also being his unofficial podcast advisor”.
(By Nikolay Silva, 15 years old, Gulliver School of Miami and American School of London).
