High School Students: Are You Paying Attention to the Presidential Election?

Dear high school students,

This year will likely be an important chapter in our history. The United States is facing its first presidential election since 2020, which culminated in the first non-peaceful transfer of power since the Civil War. In November, American citizens will cast their votes again, and the two main candidates are the same as four years ago.

Wars in Ukraine and Gaza have caused worsening humanitarian crises and threatened broader regional conflicts. January was the eighth month in a row with the warmest average temperatures for that time of year. And if the latest presidential election is any indication, the aftermath of this election could be as eventful as the vote itself.

In your classrooms, history is taught as it is made.

Since this may be the first election you have the opportunity to vote in, we’d like to know how important this moment feels to you and your friends. Are you following the elections closely? Or are you less involved? Do you think the elections are important? Or not so much?

The New York Times Headway team and Chalk stroke, a nonprofit news organization that covers education in diverse American communities, wants to hear from you directly. Please take a moment to complete the questionnaire below and we will contact you shortly.

Only complete this form if you are 14 years or older. If you are between 14 and 17 years old, a reporter will ask you to contact your parent or guardian before talking to you further.

The Headway initiative is funded by grants from the Ford Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors serving as fiscal sponsor. The Woodcock Foundation is a funder of Headway’s public square. Funders have no control over the selection, focus of stories or the editorial process and do not review stories prior to publication. The Times retains full editorial control of the Headway initiative.