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Students around the United States (and beyond!) are working for more reasonable school start times, and, in some cases, are leading the charge to change policy and improve the health, safety, and learning opportunities for their classmates. Students have testified at or served on their school boards, started Facebook pages promoting a later start time, started Start School Later chapters, or even formed clubs at their schools to work for change.
We want to recognize some of these local heroes who are leading the charge to work for the education, safety, and health of their classmates. |
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Jilly dos Santos, a Middelbury College student, who at age 15 led a successful campaign in Columbia, MO to move the 7:50 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Video by Anne Arundel County Public Schools (Maryland) Student Board of Education Member Bunmi Omisore (age 18), speaking to fellow students regarding upcoming changes to school start times. (2022)
Student Hall of Fame Member Matthew Daniels taping a radio show on teen sleep and school start times.
News report on Kendall Mullenhour, a student from Okaloosa County, FL, who singlehandedly came up with a plan to re-route school buses to give teens a chance for healthier sleep.
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Honored for their advocacy work regarding "more reasonable" school start times in Feb. 2002 are Radnor (PA) High School students. (l to r) Asa Hartman, Tobey Le, Owen Leonard, Rachel Marciano, Annabel Zhao and Ryan Movsowitz. (Photo by Radnor Township School District)
Claire Wolgast made this sleep education video as a high school student in Delaware.
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2023-24 School Year
Ryan Shintani, a sophomore at Ridgewood High School in New Jersey, and the founder of REM Reward, an online platform designed by teens to promote sleep health in children and adolescents. Ryan has also co-published articles about sleep in Psychology Today and is leading an initiative at his school to introduce sleep pods as well as working with his principal to survey the impact of the later start times implemented at his school later year.
Gabby Pereira, a student at Ludlow High School in Massachusetts, who wrote a compelling opinion piece for her student newspaper showing the immense burden that the schools 7:25 a.m. start time puts on students academically and emotionally.
Naomi Dudwick, a senior at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, MD, researched the relationship between early school start times and adolescent sleep needs and created a poster to publicize the negative impacts of early school start times.
Max Turetzky, assistant opinion editor of Harvard-Westlake's school paper The Chronicle, for his well-researched and articulately argued opinion piece, Start the school day at 8:30.
Matthew Malloy, a junior at Chicago's Mount Carmel High School and staff writer for his school paper The Caravan, for his engaging and persuasive editorial entitled Save My Brain and Start School Later.
2022-23 School Year
Jose Santana, a junior at the Bronx's Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter, who created a podcast for Chalkbeat New York by interviewing sleep experts, fellow students, and the head of his school on the pressing need to start school at times that allow students to get enough sleep.
Anika LaFrance-Hernandez, an Oregon high school student, who used research grounding California's statewide "start school later" law to instigate a change to 8:30 a.m. start times for the next school year at Grants Pass High School.
Hallie Dong, a student at North Allegheny High School, whose featured commentary in Western Pennsylvania's TribLive made a well-researched, compelling argument for later school start times.
Teagyn Ager, an 8th grader at Michigan's Wyoming Junior High, for her project "Schools Should Start at a Later Time," which won first place in her school's inaugural Argument Fair. The project was praised for its clear, concise writing; colorful illustrations; and well-sourced evidence and arguments; and call to action.
Zoe Goor, a student at California's Harvard-Westlake School, who wrote a persuasive and well-informed opinion piece for her school paper explaining why private schools like hers should follow the California mandate to start all high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
Madeline Lundquist, a student at Baltimore's City College High School, who in June 2022 wrote a clear and succinct op-ed for The Baltimore Sun drawing on her personal experience as a high school student starting classes at 7:45 a.m. Three months later she wrote a timely follow up, describing how her new, earlier schedule, beginning at 7:30 a.m. has led to even more absenteeism and loss of learning and urging the Baltimore City School District to stop unnecessarily jeopardizing their students' mental health and well-being.
Tony Montemurno, a 12th-grader at Warwick High School in Lancaster County, PA, who wrote a research-based and persuasive article for Lancaster Online's Generation Z[eal] column urging schools to start later.
Peyton Stagliano, a staff writer for North Penn High School (PA's) student newspaper, who conducted a sleep study of student athletes and wrote an article arguing for statewide later-start-time legislation to improve student sleep, well-being, and performance in school and on the field.
Owen Jacobs, a sophomore at Palmyra High School, for his thoughtful, well-researched, and compelling article published in Southern New Jersey's Courier-Post.
Jorgen Nay, age 14, of Syracuse, UT, for a well-written, well-researched guest opinion piece on the need for and benefits of starting school later published in the Standard-Examiner.
Jackson Timmel, a senior at Boise High School, who wrote an editorial for the Idaho Statesmen remarkably well-informed regarding both the science and policy involved in starting school later.
2021-22 School Year
Bunmi Omisore, a senior in Anne Arundel (MD) Public Schools, who made a clear, compelling, and compassionate video explaining the planned delay in school start times for other students. Bunmi also helped usher in this change in her role as the student member of the county school board, the only local school board in the nation that gives the student member full voting rights.
William Hallward-Driemeier, Grade 11, who wrote a persuasive and well-informed opinion piece for The Black & White, The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD, urging the district to move its high school bell times to 8:30 a.m. or later as recommended by pediatricians and supported by compelling research.
Elena Parisi, a sophomore at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD, who wrote a well-researched article for her school newspaper on the impact of sleep deprivation and early school start times on both students and staff.
Laila Seddiki and Lianka Pechova who wrote a superbly argued and researched opinion piece on the importance of sleep and later start times for The Union St. Journal, the official online and print news source for Cherry Creek High School.
2020-21 School Year
Gina Liu and Aiden Rood, rising juniors at Cherry Hill East High School in Cherry Hill, NJ, co-founders and leaders of the advocacy group Cherry Hill Students for Later School Start Times. Both Cherry Hill High schools (East and West) run on a 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. schedule, while middle schools run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Elementary students already start later, operating on a 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. day.
Ryan Gallagher, at Ch16, a rising junior at Palmer Ridge High School in Monument, CO, who wrote well-researched and persuasive guest column for his local paper on the need to start school later. Ryan is a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 17 of Monument and wrote this column as part of his communications merit badge requirement.
Naomi Bereketab, a senior at Cherry Hill High School East in New Jersey and opinion editor for the school paper, who wrote a well-informed and persuasive editorial arguing that her school should continue operating at the later, healthier school start times in place during the pandemic.
Jeffery Inskeep, a 9th-grade student at Manheim Township High School in Pennsylvania, who wrote a concise and compelling editorial on why high schools should start later for Lancaster Online.
Anthony Maio, a student at Central Bucks High School East, who wrote a opinion piece for his local paper arguing for the particular importance of sleep during the pandemic and the immediate need to start school later, as well as debunking common excuses for unsafe, unhealthy start times.
Sammy Ryan, an AP English student at Marshfield High School in MA, wrote a compelling, well-researched, and thoughtful editorial for The Patriot Ledger arguing that starting high school later would improve teens' health.
2019-20 School Year
Simon Bazelton, a junior at New Haven, CT's Wilbur Cross High School, who wrote a well-researched editorial for the The New Haven Independent making a cogent and compelling case for delaying the schools's 7:30 a.m. start time.
John Crump, a sophomore at Truman High School in Independence, MO, wrote an original, well-researched, and compelling editorial on the importance of sleep and the need for a later high school start time in his local newspaper.
Asa Hartman, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA,has provided testimony about the positive impact he's experienced when Radnor High School's start time changed from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in the 2019-20 school year. Asa has been requested to speak on panels to numerous students, parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year and at Start School Later's Pennsylvania workshop in November 2019.
Rachel Marciano, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, has provided testimony about the positive impact she's experienced from Radnor High School's start time change from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in the 2019-20 school year. Rachel has been requested to speak on panels to numerous students, parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year and at Start School Later's Pennsylvania workshop in November 2019.
Annabel Zhao, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, has provided testimony about the positive impact she's experienced from Radnor High School's start time change from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in the 2019-20 school year. Annabel has been requested to speak to numerous students,parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year and at Start School Later's Pennsylvania workshop in November 2019. Annabel also was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee. Annabel was also the first student ever to serve as a member of a PA Joint State Government Commission Advisory Committee. The Committee was charged by the PA Senate with doing a state report on adolescent sleep and secondary school start school start times in PA. published in October 2019.
Owen Leonard, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee, serving faithfully for two years. He devoted many afternoons and evenings to ensuring that the students' voices were heard. Owen has been requested to speak on panels to numerous students, parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year.
Tobey Le, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee. Tobey served faithfully on the committee for past two years, devoting many afternoons and evenings to ensuring that student voices were heard.
Ryan Movsowitz, a sophomore at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee. Ryan served faithfully first as a middle school student and then in the second year of the study as a freshman at Radnor High School. Ryan devoted many afternoons and evening to ensuring that student voices were heard.
Julie White, a junior at Maine's Orono High School, who wrote a well-researched and persuasive guest editorial on the value of starting school later for the Bangor Daily News.
2018-19 School Year
Ethan Harrigan, a student at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, CT, who wrote an information-packed feature story on the benefits of later school start times for The Advocate, a forum for student opinion.
Sessina Dani and Aarushi Bhatnagar, student liaisons to the West Orange Board of Education (WOBOE), presented an informational packet to the board (“School Start Times. Sleep, Behavioral, Health, and Academic Outcomes: a Review of the Literature”) reviewing 38 studies that examine “the association between school start times, sleep, and other outcomes among adolescent students.” In response, Acting Superintendent of Schools Eveny de Mendez said that a new committee headed by West Orange High School (WOHS) Principal Hayden Moore would “begin to explore the delayed school opening for the high school and its impact on the rest of the district.”
Marissa Robinson, a student at Spring Mills High School In W. Virginia, who wrote a compelling and well-researched editorial on the benefits of starting school later for her school's online newsite.
Carlos Bejar-Garcia and Ayush Chaudhary, seniors at Chelmsford High School in MA, and Alex Lawton, a junior at Chelmsford High School, who studied the issue of later start times and presented their ongoing research at a community informational forum, hosted by the School Committee and school administration.
Stephen Socolow, a student at New Jersey's Moorestown High School, who published a heartfelt and persuasive essay in the Intelligencer and Burlington Times arguing for later, healthier, evidence-based. As Stephen wrote: "This issue is more than just letting students get a good night’s sleep — it is about how this will improve their overall lives. And isn’t that what parents want for their children?"
Zachary Sobel-Pressman, a junior at Hall High School in West Hartford, CT, wrote a thoughtful, superbly researched, and persuasive op-ed in his local paper debunking myths and misconceptions keeping his district from moving to later, healthier school start times.
2017-18 School Year
Claire Wolgast, a student at Delaware's Strath Haven High School, who created and distributed a short educational video in the student voice about sleep health and sleep-friendly school start times. The video is available on YouTube and as a Start School Later resource.
Anya Jayanthi, a freshman at Pennsylvania's Harriton High School, and a dedicated, articulate advocate for sleep health and sleep-friendly school start times. Anya has not only written insightful articles on these issues for her school paper but was a featured speaker at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Sleep Society in May 2018.
Melanie Metz, a senior at Pennsylvania's Harriton High School, who has written articles and letters to raise awareness about student sleep deprivation and the need for later school start times in her own community and beyond.
Lauren Rubel, a twelve-year-old student in Lee County, FL, who made her case for delaying the high schools 7:05 a.m. opening bell to members of the school board backed by research from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that only 23 percent of students get a full eight hours of sleep on school nights. Recognizing the political obstacles to change, she stated that: "“I know it may not be changed now, but maybe when I’m 20 it’ll be changed and at least other people will be able to sleep more."
Eric Welp, a seventh-grade student at Eyer Middle School in Macungie, PA, who wrote a compelling and heartfelt letter arguing for reasonable, sleep-friendly school start times in his local newspaper, The Morning Call.
Nicolas Herrara, a junior at Sterling High School in Goose Creek Consolidated ISD (TX), who has independently cited research supporting later school start times at public forums. According to Houston Area Chapter Leader Yen Rabe, Nicolas is an "astute and independent thinker" who "has the courage and the leadership to speak up in a school district where there is much opposition from teachers, parents, and students who are influenced by the teachers."
Jayden Harris, a freshman at Bethel Park High School (PA), who wrote an original and compelling opinion piece arguing for later school start times as a staff writer for her school's online newspaper. The piece includes a classic scene from the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off in case anyone questions how tired teenagers are.
2016-17 School Year
Halle Goodman-Weinbaum, a recent graduate of Nyack High School in Rockland County, NY, who, as an intern for Nyack News & Views wrote a compelling article on why high schools should start later based on personal experience and impressive research.
Luke Scorziell, a high school junior from Southern California, who published an interview about California's "start school later bill" in his blog, The Edge of Ideas, “Bills with Luke Scorziell” on iTunes, and the High School Insider section of the Los Angeles Times. He has published The Edge of Ideas, which includes several articles on sleep, since freshaman year.
Hannah Laga Abram, a sophomore at the Santa Fe Waldorf School, who wrote a well-balanced article for the Santa Fe New Mexican about teen sleep deprivation and the many factors underlying it, including too-early school hours.
Ben Swanson, a senior at Oregon's Roseburg High School, who wrote an engaging and persuasive article for a local paper about why high schools should start classes at 8:30 a.m. of later.
Elizabeth Coffin, an eighth grad student at Menomonie Middle School in Wisconsin, who published a persuasive and well-researched article on the need for and feasibility of later school start times in the Dunn County News.
Sobana Balasubramanian, a senior at Arlington (NY) High School, who published a balanced, well-researched opinion piece in the Poughkeepsie Journal on the benefits of moving high school bell times later.
Katelyn Walker, a junior at Logan High School in Ohio, who wrote a feature story for her local paper about the research supporting later start times for high school students.
Joshua Jones, a senior at Tilton School, who wrote an editorial for the New Hampshire Union-Leader making a compelling case for a later school start time.
Lauren Fink, a senior at Sanford High School, who wrote a guest column for the Sanford News on the necessity of healthy sleep in teenagers and the need for later school start times.
Harper Clees-Baron, whose opinion piece originally written for his school newspaper at Brooklyn Latin School and making the case for later school start times became Runner Up for the Opinion/Editorial Writing in The Newsies! high school journalism competition for 2016.
Kendall Mullenhour, a senior at Niceville High School in Okaloosa County, FL (2015-16), designed a new bus schedule for county schools that would allow high school students to start class at healthier hours and presented it to the county school board. Okaloosa County High Schools currently start at 7 a.m.
Matthew Daniels, a junior at Unionville (PA) HIgh School (2015-16),, who researched and presented proposals to his district for healthier school hours, founded a student chapter of Start School Later, and worked with school board members and other community members to raise awareness about sleep health and advocate for healthy school start times. His work has been featured by media including the Huffington Post and the BBC.
John Sutherby, a freshman at Radnor High School (2015-16) in Pennsylvania, who testified at his local school board and created a website and social media pages for a website he created, A’s Through Zzz’s to raise awareness about the need to start school later. The website includes a video ad.Nikhil Marda, a high school junior (2015-16) at John Marshall High School in Rochester, MN, who published a well-researched and compellingly argued article in his local newspaper about the need to start school at healthy, evidence-based hours in a city that houses the Mayo Clinic.
Ava Shively, an 8th grader (2015-16) from Wisconsin who wrote a compelling piece for the Lacrosse Tribune about the research supporting a later start to the school day.
Isabel Burke, a seventh grader in the Salem-Keizer School District (2015-16), who wrote and published a a well-researched and compellingly argued advocacy piece in the Statesman Journal.
Pranav Kodali, a junior at Mira Loma High School (2015-16), who created a speech and video on the relationship of early school start times, sleep deprivation, and teen suicide as part of a speech and debate event called Original Advocacy.
Curtis Cohen, a junior at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, WA in 2015-16, , who carried out a multi-year petition drive and advocacy campaign joining together students, parents, and teachers working for later school start times and healthy sleep.
Addie Evans, a senior at Buhler High School in Buhler, KS, in school year 2015-16, who wrote a well-researched column explaining the need for later school start times and reasons for resistance for The Hutchinson News.
Omer Qureshi, a sophomore at Hershey High School in Pennsylvania (Jan. 2016), interested in world news, politics, and pop culture. Omer wrote a well-researched, well-reasoned, and clearly articulated editorial about the need to start school later for The Broadcaster, a student run newspaper..
Ameen Al-Dalli, a senior (2015-16) at Langley High School in McLean, Virginia, joined the push for healthy start times in Fairfax in 2013 together with SLEEP (Start School Later for Excellence in Education Proposal), a partner of Start School Later. An athlete in several sports, musician and a Model UN team member, he has testified before the Board of Supervisors and the school board. He was interviewed and featured in SLEEPLESS IN AMERICA, the National Geographic special about sleep that captured footage of a typical morning at his house, including a very early walk to the bus stop. He also was shadowed at Langley during a typical day that included a long after-school sports practice after a night of little sleep. Ameen was able to enjoy the fruits of his efforts in his senior year when his school system implemented later high school start times.
Maia Spoto, a student at Langley High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, became an official advocate of healthy school start times as a seventh grader, when she first testified before county school board on the issue. She then went on to share her story with the Fairfax Board of Supervisors and a National Geographic film crew, who included her clip in their special, SLEEPLESS IN AMERICA.
Josh Leong of McLean, VA, A student scholar, musician, athlete and award winning filmmaker, began helping SLEEP educate the Fairfax County community on the benefits of healthy high school start times as a middle school student. Josh has edited and produced video footage of politicians, doctors, and teachers advocating for later high school start times. He was happy to be able to benefit from the implementation of later start times as he entered his sophomore year at McLean High School in September 2015.
Preeth Vijay, a junior at Pennsylvania's Holy Ghost Preparatory (2015-16) who published a powerful editorial making the case for later start times and identifying the politics obstructing them in a local paper.
Damian Ubriaco, a freshman Saratoga Springs High School (2015-16), who wrote a moving and well-argued editorial in the Saratogian Newsmaking the case for later school start times.
Ben Press of James Madison High School in McLean, VA played an integral role in successful efforts to delay high school bell times later in Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools (FCPS). Not only did Ben draw on his personal experiences as a sleep-deprived teen, but he learned the scientific basis for why the right kind of sleep is important for teens and incorporated it into his communications with other students, teachers, school administrators, and the public. Ben testified before the FCPS school board about later high school start times and kept the subject front and center as a member of the FCPS School Health Advisory Committee. Chosen as student representative to the school board for 2015-16, Ben's ability to motivate other students to become involved was especially critical during the community engagement portion of the campaign.
2015-16 School Year
Harris LaTeef, the student representative to the Fairfax County School Board from 2014-15, advocated strongly in favor of shifting high school start times to after 8:00 a.m. and encouraged other board members to vote in favor of change. He served as a liaison, representing the student voice as he worked closely with other stakeholder leaders to ensure that student health and well-being would be a top priority for decision-makers.
Eryn Cooper, joined the push for healthy start times when she was in elementary school, signing the SLEEP petition and testifying before the school board at a key meeting. In high school, she became the official voice of Students for SLEEP on Twitter and completed a two-year capstone project about the need for later high school start times. She has testified before the Fairfax County, VA Board of Supervisors and school board, and has been interviewed by print and television reporters, including an NBC news team that repeatedly used footage from a typical school day “morning” with her family to help Fairfax schools move toward healthy start times. Eryn was one of the students featured inSLEEPLESS IN AMERICA, the National Geographic special about sleep. She graduated from Oakton High School at 2015 and hopes to continue her efforts to increase awareness about the value of sleep during college. SLEEP (Start School Later for Excellence in Education Proposal), founded in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2004, and is a partner of Start School Later.
Holly Lang, a high school senior and ex-officio member of the Cheektowaga (NY) Central School Board, Holly has been working to raise awareness about and advocate for changing the brutal 7:22 a.m. at her school. She not only has pitched a time change to school leaders, buttook on a challenge by school trustees to survey students and continues the good fight despite pushback from school leaders and peers alike.
Nichole Khoury, a sophomore at Buckingham Charter Magnet High School in Vacaville, CA, who wrote a prize-winning editorial in her community newspaper arguing that the time has come to delay high school start times.
Christina Revilla and Elizabeth McGrath, Weymouth (MA) High School students (Class of 2015) are leading a campaign to change bell times based on their yearlong Capstone Project researching school science books, news reports and online medical studies about teen sleep deprivation.
Zack Dietz, a junior at Northampton (MA) High School (Class of 2016) who wrote a perceptive editorial critiquing the school system's claim that the only way to achieve later, healthier school hours would be to give up arts, athletics, and Advanced Placement courses.
Clayton Cavanaugh, a junior at Muskego (WI) High School (Class of 2016) is leading the charge to move high school start times from 7:25 to 9 a.m., testifying at the school board and arranging meetings with the mayor, superintendent, and other local leaders, as well as surveying teachers about their thoughts on the topic.
Amy Fan, Bellaire High School, Class of 2016, for getting her essay "Yawn: A Student's Perspective on Not Getting Enough Sleep," published by Dear HISD, an organization run by students for students as a bridge between students and administrators for the Houston Independent School District.
2014-15 School Year
Fritz Schemel, of Staples High School in Westport, CT, who wrote a well-researched and compelling editorial about the need to start school later.
Jonathan Mak, a senior at Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos, CA, is a sleep education advocate and researcher on healthy sleep for teenagers, as well as the founder of the advocacy organization Sleeping 4 Success.
Meghan Brewer of Altamont, NY, who wrote a letter to her local paper enlightening her community and school leaders about efforts to start school later around the country - and showing why it's both important and possible to change school hours.
Attleboro (MA) High School student Erin Lemieux, who wrote a concise, compelling editorial supporting sensible and healthy school hours - and sleep! - for Massachusetts high schoolers.
Worthington (OH) High School juniors Andrew Foster and Zach Walton who presented the case for later school start times to the Worthington Board of Education after a government class research project convinced them to work for change.
Leah Hanrahan, and 11th grader at New Jersey's Point Pleasant Boro High, who wrote a compelling opinion piece for the Asbury Park Pressexplaining why requiring teenagers to be in class at 7 or 8 am is both unhealthy and counterproductive.
Alexandra Curtis, a high school freshman at Pennsylvania's Southern Lehigh High School, made a well-researched presentation to her school board about why moving the 7:40 a.m. start time to 8:45 a.m. would benefit student health and learning.
John Auerbach, a middle school student in Newtown, CT, not only wrote a well-researched and carefully argued report on why current school start times deprive students of sleep but has started a petition, sleep survey, and Start School Later Club to help address this problem.
2013-14 School Year and Earlier
Maddy King, a junior at Fairfax County, VA’s James Madison High School, wrote what a now viral letter to her high school principal, exposing long-suppressed issues that hurt conscientious, average students -including extremely early school start times that deprive them of critical sleep.
Patrick Crowley, a Newsday Opinion Intern and a high school student on Long Island, wrote a clear and compelling article for Newsdayarguing that a later start to the school day would help students focus.
Freda Zhao, a student at the Western Academy of Beijing and an intern at beijingkid, wrote a well-researched piece for beijingkids, where she was interning, arguing that Beijing high schools - which start in the 8 o'clock hour - should start later to fit the teen biological clock.
Hannah Fobert, 12, of Salem, OR, who wrote a clear, well-argued, and well-researched letter-to-the-editor on the need to start school later.
Jilly Dos Santos, a sophomore at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, MO, who created and leads a group called "Students' Say" with both a Facebook and Twitter presence - and a petition - who successfully fought a plan to move the 7:50 a.m. high school start times up to 7:20 a.m. to save on bus costs.
Fatima Shareef, a senior at Edsel High School who wrote a well-referenced editorial discussing the sleep time needed for students aged 11-22 and presenting compelling arguments about why current start times at Dearborn's high schools undermine student success.
Andrew Joyce, a Plympton, MA high school senior who wrote a poignant and well-researched letter to a local paper asking that the school system review the sleep study committee whose work was rejected by the community years earlier.
Leonie Kroeger, a German exchange student at Kleins Collins High School in Spring, TX, who has written two well-researched and argued blogs on teen sleep deprivation and school start times the high school's online newspaper: Students Benefit from Later Start,
Zack Becker. When Zack’s high school moved its start time up from 8 a.m. to 7:35 a.m. so that middle schools could start later, Zack started a Facebook group to fight the change. He planned to take the issue to the school board, but only 15 students agreed to join him. He was recently profiled in the Maryland Heights (MO) Patch.
Jason Luque founded and leads a “Sleep Club” at California's Temecula Valley High School.
Jess Barlow. Citing research from sleep science, Jess created a petition in Amherst, NH to start both the local middle and high school at 8:30 a.m. for the sake of learning, safety, and health.
Matthew Swanson of Burlington, MA wrote a blog (Guest Post: The Necessity of a Later School Start
Time), as well as numerous well-researched and well-reasoned responses, in The Lounge: Student’s
Information Blog.
Katie Carlson, who wrote an Opinion piece (Later start time would improve student performance)
for her school newspaper.
Mary Siebert, an 8th grader in Stevens Point, WI, wrote an eloquent letter to the Stevens Point
Journal arguing that later school start time helps pupils.
Sienna Lee wrote an article for her school paper in New Hope, PA entitled “Why high school students need a later arrival time.”
Devin Neal wrote an article (More Sleep=Better Grades?) on the school start time controversy for The Defensor, the school paper for Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in Virginia Beach, VA.
Victoria Bracher wrote a column (Start time unrealistic) for her school paper in Kent,
OH.
Jack Petrides, a high school freshman at Northampton High School in Northampton, MA, wrote a letter to the Daily Hampshire Gazette's editor explaining why an "early-to-bed" approach won't work for teens.
Britni Berg, a high school student and aspiring journalist from Northbrook, IL, wrote a column on the so-called "race to nowhere" for her local Patch paper. "When students start substituting energy drinks for their eight hours sleep," she writes, "is it time to say, enough is enough?"
Zach Speed, a staff writer for his school's online newspaper in Westport, CT, wrote an opinion piece called "The Wrong Side of the Bed" in which he argues that high school students can't possibly get even close to the amount of needed sleep given current school start times.
If you know other students who deserve recognition for their efforts to promote sane, humane
school start times, please tell us their stories.
Ryan Shintani, a sophomore at Ridgewood High School in New Jersey, and the founder of REM Reward, an online platform designed by teens to promote sleep health in children and adolescents. Ryan has also co-published articles about sleep in Psychology Today and is leading an initiative at his school to introduce sleep pods as well as working with his principal to survey the impact of the later start times implemented at his school later year.
Gabby Pereira, a student at Ludlow High School in Massachusetts, who wrote a compelling opinion piece for her student newspaper showing the immense burden that the schools 7:25 a.m. start time puts on students academically and emotionally.
Naomi Dudwick, a senior at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, MD, researched the relationship between early school start times and adolescent sleep needs and created a poster to publicize the negative impacts of early school start times.
Max Turetzky, assistant opinion editor of Harvard-Westlake's school paper The Chronicle, for his well-researched and articulately argued opinion piece, Start the school day at 8:30.
Matthew Malloy, a junior at Chicago's Mount Carmel High School and staff writer for his school paper The Caravan, for his engaging and persuasive editorial entitled Save My Brain and Start School Later.
2022-23 School Year
Jose Santana, a junior at the Bronx's Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter, who created a podcast for Chalkbeat New York by interviewing sleep experts, fellow students, and the head of his school on the pressing need to start school at times that allow students to get enough sleep.
Anika LaFrance-Hernandez, an Oregon high school student, who used research grounding California's statewide "start school later" law to instigate a change to 8:30 a.m. start times for the next school year at Grants Pass High School.
Hallie Dong, a student at North Allegheny High School, whose featured commentary in Western Pennsylvania's TribLive made a well-researched, compelling argument for later school start times.
Teagyn Ager, an 8th grader at Michigan's Wyoming Junior High, for her project "Schools Should Start at a Later Time," which won first place in her school's inaugural Argument Fair. The project was praised for its clear, concise writing; colorful illustrations; and well-sourced evidence and arguments; and call to action.
Zoe Goor, a student at California's Harvard-Westlake School, who wrote a persuasive and well-informed opinion piece for her school paper explaining why private schools like hers should follow the California mandate to start all high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
Madeline Lundquist, a student at Baltimore's City College High School, who in June 2022 wrote a clear and succinct op-ed for The Baltimore Sun drawing on her personal experience as a high school student starting classes at 7:45 a.m. Three months later she wrote a timely follow up, describing how her new, earlier schedule, beginning at 7:30 a.m. has led to even more absenteeism and loss of learning and urging the Baltimore City School District to stop unnecessarily jeopardizing their students' mental health and well-being.
Tony Montemurno, a 12th-grader at Warwick High School in Lancaster County, PA, who wrote a research-based and persuasive article for Lancaster Online's Generation Z[eal] column urging schools to start later.
Peyton Stagliano, a staff writer for North Penn High School (PA's) student newspaper, who conducted a sleep study of student athletes and wrote an article arguing for statewide later-start-time legislation to improve student sleep, well-being, and performance in school and on the field.
Owen Jacobs, a sophomore at Palmyra High School, for his thoughtful, well-researched, and compelling article published in Southern New Jersey's Courier-Post.
Jorgen Nay, age 14, of Syracuse, UT, for a well-written, well-researched guest opinion piece on the need for and benefits of starting school later published in the Standard-Examiner.
Jackson Timmel, a senior at Boise High School, who wrote an editorial for the Idaho Statesmen remarkably well-informed regarding both the science and policy involved in starting school later.
2021-22 School Year
Bunmi Omisore, a senior in Anne Arundel (MD) Public Schools, who made a clear, compelling, and compassionate video explaining the planned delay in school start times for other students. Bunmi also helped usher in this change in her role as the student member of the county school board, the only local school board in the nation that gives the student member full voting rights.
William Hallward-Driemeier, Grade 11, who wrote a persuasive and well-informed opinion piece for The Black & White, The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD, urging the district to move its high school bell times to 8:30 a.m. or later as recommended by pediatricians and supported by compelling research.
Elena Parisi, a sophomore at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD, who wrote a well-researched article for her school newspaper on the impact of sleep deprivation and early school start times on both students and staff.
Laila Seddiki and Lianka Pechova who wrote a superbly argued and researched opinion piece on the importance of sleep and later start times for The Union St. Journal, the official online and print news source for Cherry Creek High School.
2020-21 School Year
Gina Liu and Aiden Rood, rising juniors at Cherry Hill East High School in Cherry Hill, NJ, co-founders and leaders of the advocacy group Cherry Hill Students for Later School Start Times. Both Cherry Hill High schools (East and West) run on a 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. schedule, while middle schools run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Elementary students already start later, operating on a 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. day.
Ryan Gallagher, at Ch16, a rising junior at Palmer Ridge High School in Monument, CO, who wrote well-researched and persuasive guest column for his local paper on the need to start school later. Ryan is a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 17 of Monument and wrote this column as part of his communications merit badge requirement.
Naomi Bereketab, a senior at Cherry Hill High School East in New Jersey and opinion editor for the school paper, who wrote a well-informed and persuasive editorial arguing that her school should continue operating at the later, healthier school start times in place during the pandemic.
Jeffery Inskeep, a 9th-grade student at Manheim Township High School in Pennsylvania, who wrote a concise and compelling editorial on why high schools should start later for Lancaster Online.
Anthony Maio, a student at Central Bucks High School East, who wrote a opinion piece for his local paper arguing for the particular importance of sleep during the pandemic and the immediate need to start school later, as well as debunking common excuses for unsafe, unhealthy start times.
Sammy Ryan, an AP English student at Marshfield High School in MA, wrote a compelling, well-researched, and thoughtful editorial for The Patriot Ledger arguing that starting high school later would improve teens' health.
2019-20 School Year
Simon Bazelton, a junior at New Haven, CT's Wilbur Cross High School, who wrote a well-researched editorial for the The New Haven Independent making a cogent and compelling case for delaying the schools's 7:30 a.m. start time.
John Crump, a sophomore at Truman High School in Independence, MO, wrote an original, well-researched, and compelling editorial on the importance of sleep and the need for a later high school start time in his local newspaper.
Asa Hartman, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA,has provided testimony about the positive impact he's experienced when Radnor High School's start time changed from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in the 2019-20 school year. Asa has been requested to speak on panels to numerous students, parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year and at Start School Later's Pennsylvania workshop in November 2019.
Rachel Marciano, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, has provided testimony about the positive impact she's experienced from Radnor High School's start time change from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in the 2019-20 school year. Rachel has been requested to speak on panels to numerous students, parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year and at Start School Later's Pennsylvania workshop in November 2019.
Annabel Zhao, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, has provided testimony about the positive impact she's experienced from Radnor High School's start time change from 7:35 to 8:30 a.m. in the 2019-20 school year. Annabel has been requested to speak to numerous students,parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year and at Start School Later's Pennsylvania workshop in November 2019. Annabel also was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee. Annabel was also the first student ever to serve as a member of a PA Joint State Government Commission Advisory Committee. The Committee was charged by the PA Senate with doing a state report on adolescent sleep and secondary school start school start times in PA. published in October 2019.
Owen Leonard, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee, serving faithfully for two years. He devoted many afternoons and evenings to ensuring that the students' voices were heard. Owen has been requested to speak on panels to numerous students, parents, school administrators, school directors, and community members in several neighboring school districts throughout the school year.
Tobey Le, a senior at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee. Tobey served faithfully on the committee for past two years, devoting many afternoons and evenings to ensuring that student voices were heard.
Ryan Movsowitz, a sophomore at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, was a student member of the Radnor Township School District's Adolescent Sleep and School Start Time Study Committee. Ryan served faithfully first as a middle school student and then in the second year of the study as a freshman at Radnor High School. Ryan devoted many afternoons and evening to ensuring that student voices were heard.
Julie White, a junior at Maine's Orono High School, who wrote a well-researched and persuasive guest editorial on the value of starting school later for the Bangor Daily News.
2018-19 School Year
Ethan Harrigan, a student at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, CT, who wrote an information-packed feature story on the benefits of later school start times for The Advocate, a forum for student opinion.
Sessina Dani and Aarushi Bhatnagar, student liaisons to the West Orange Board of Education (WOBOE), presented an informational packet to the board (“School Start Times. Sleep, Behavioral, Health, and Academic Outcomes: a Review of the Literature”) reviewing 38 studies that examine “the association between school start times, sleep, and other outcomes among adolescent students.” In response, Acting Superintendent of Schools Eveny de Mendez said that a new committee headed by West Orange High School (WOHS) Principal Hayden Moore would “begin to explore the delayed school opening for the high school and its impact on the rest of the district.”
Marissa Robinson, a student at Spring Mills High School In W. Virginia, who wrote a compelling and well-researched editorial on the benefits of starting school later for her school's online newsite.
Carlos Bejar-Garcia and Ayush Chaudhary, seniors at Chelmsford High School in MA, and Alex Lawton, a junior at Chelmsford High School, who studied the issue of later start times and presented their ongoing research at a community informational forum, hosted by the School Committee and school administration.
Stephen Socolow, a student at New Jersey's Moorestown High School, who published a heartfelt and persuasive essay in the Intelligencer and Burlington Times arguing for later, healthier, evidence-based. As Stephen wrote: "This issue is more than just letting students get a good night’s sleep — it is about how this will improve their overall lives. And isn’t that what parents want for their children?"
Zachary Sobel-Pressman, a junior at Hall High School in West Hartford, CT, wrote a thoughtful, superbly researched, and persuasive op-ed in his local paper debunking myths and misconceptions keeping his district from moving to later, healthier school start times.
2017-18 School Year
Claire Wolgast, a student at Delaware's Strath Haven High School, who created and distributed a short educational video in the student voice about sleep health and sleep-friendly school start times. The video is available on YouTube and as a Start School Later resource.
Anya Jayanthi, a freshman at Pennsylvania's Harriton High School, and a dedicated, articulate advocate for sleep health and sleep-friendly school start times. Anya has not only written insightful articles on these issues for her school paper but was a featured speaker at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Sleep Society in May 2018.
Melanie Metz, a senior at Pennsylvania's Harriton High School, who has written articles and letters to raise awareness about student sleep deprivation and the need for later school start times in her own community and beyond.
Lauren Rubel, a twelve-year-old student in Lee County, FL, who made her case for delaying the high schools 7:05 a.m. opening bell to members of the school board backed by research from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that only 23 percent of students get a full eight hours of sleep on school nights. Recognizing the political obstacles to change, she stated that: "“I know it may not be changed now, but maybe when I’m 20 it’ll be changed and at least other people will be able to sleep more."
Eric Welp, a seventh-grade student at Eyer Middle School in Macungie, PA, who wrote a compelling and heartfelt letter arguing for reasonable, sleep-friendly school start times in his local newspaper, The Morning Call.
Nicolas Herrara, a junior at Sterling High School in Goose Creek Consolidated ISD (TX), who has independently cited research supporting later school start times at public forums. According to Houston Area Chapter Leader Yen Rabe, Nicolas is an "astute and independent thinker" who "has the courage and the leadership to speak up in a school district where there is much opposition from teachers, parents, and students who are influenced by the teachers."
Jayden Harris, a freshman at Bethel Park High School (PA), who wrote an original and compelling opinion piece arguing for later school start times as a staff writer for her school's online newspaper. The piece includes a classic scene from the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off in case anyone questions how tired teenagers are.
2016-17 School Year
Halle Goodman-Weinbaum, a recent graduate of Nyack High School in Rockland County, NY, who, as an intern for Nyack News & Views wrote a compelling article on why high schools should start later based on personal experience and impressive research.
Luke Scorziell, a high school junior from Southern California, who published an interview about California's "start school later bill" in his blog, The Edge of Ideas, “Bills with Luke Scorziell” on iTunes, and the High School Insider section of the Los Angeles Times. He has published The Edge of Ideas, which includes several articles on sleep, since freshaman year.
Hannah Laga Abram, a sophomore at the Santa Fe Waldorf School, who wrote a well-balanced article for the Santa Fe New Mexican about teen sleep deprivation and the many factors underlying it, including too-early school hours.
Ben Swanson, a senior at Oregon's Roseburg High School, who wrote an engaging and persuasive article for a local paper about why high schools should start classes at 8:30 a.m. of later.
Elizabeth Coffin, an eighth grad student at Menomonie Middle School in Wisconsin, who published a persuasive and well-researched article on the need for and feasibility of later school start times in the Dunn County News.
Sobana Balasubramanian, a senior at Arlington (NY) High School, who published a balanced, well-researched opinion piece in the Poughkeepsie Journal on the benefits of moving high school bell times later.
Katelyn Walker, a junior at Logan High School in Ohio, who wrote a feature story for her local paper about the research supporting later start times for high school students.
Joshua Jones, a senior at Tilton School, who wrote an editorial for the New Hampshire Union-Leader making a compelling case for a later school start time.
Lauren Fink, a senior at Sanford High School, who wrote a guest column for the Sanford News on the necessity of healthy sleep in teenagers and the need for later school start times.
Harper Clees-Baron, whose opinion piece originally written for his school newspaper at Brooklyn Latin School and making the case for later school start times became Runner Up for the Opinion/Editorial Writing in The Newsies! high school journalism competition for 2016.
Kendall Mullenhour, a senior at Niceville High School in Okaloosa County, FL (2015-16), designed a new bus schedule for county schools that would allow high school students to start class at healthier hours and presented it to the county school board. Okaloosa County High Schools currently start at 7 a.m.
Matthew Daniels, a junior at Unionville (PA) HIgh School (2015-16),, who researched and presented proposals to his district for healthier school hours, founded a student chapter of Start School Later, and worked with school board members and other community members to raise awareness about sleep health and advocate for healthy school start times. His work has been featured by media including the Huffington Post and the BBC.
John Sutherby, a freshman at Radnor High School (2015-16) in Pennsylvania, who testified at his local school board and created a website and social media pages for a website he created, A’s Through Zzz’s to raise awareness about the need to start school later. The website includes a video ad.Nikhil Marda, a high school junior (2015-16) at John Marshall High School in Rochester, MN, who published a well-researched and compellingly argued article in his local newspaper about the need to start school at healthy, evidence-based hours in a city that houses the Mayo Clinic.
Ava Shively, an 8th grader (2015-16) from Wisconsin who wrote a compelling piece for the Lacrosse Tribune about the research supporting a later start to the school day.
Isabel Burke, a seventh grader in the Salem-Keizer School District (2015-16), who wrote and published a a well-researched and compellingly argued advocacy piece in the Statesman Journal.
Pranav Kodali, a junior at Mira Loma High School (2015-16), who created a speech and video on the relationship of early school start times, sleep deprivation, and teen suicide as part of a speech and debate event called Original Advocacy.
Curtis Cohen, a junior at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, WA in 2015-16, , who carried out a multi-year petition drive and advocacy campaign joining together students, parents, and teachers working for later school start times and healthy sleep.
Addie Evans, a senior at Buhler High School in Buhler, KS, in school year 2015-16, who wrote a well-researched column explaining the need for later school start times and reasons for resistance for The Hutchinson News.
Omer Qureshi, a sophomore at Hershey High School in Pennsylvania (Jan. 2016), interested in world news, politics, and pop culture. Omer wrote a well-researched, well-reasoned, and clearly articulated editorial about the need to start school later for The Broadcaster, a student run newspaper..
Ameen Al-Dalli, a senior (2015-16) at Langley High School in McLean, Virginia, joined the push for healthy start times in Fairfax in 2013 together with SLEEP (Start School Later for Excellence in Education Proposal), a partner of Start School Later. An athlete in several sports, musician and a Model UN team member, he has testified before the Board of Supervisors and the school board. He was interviewed and featured in SLEEPLESS IN AMERICA, the National Geographic special about sleep that captured footage of a typical morning at his house, including a very early walk to the bus stop. He also was shadowed at Langley during a typical day that included a long after-school sports practice after a night of little sleep. Ameen was able to enjoy the fruits of his efforts in his senior year when his school system implemented later high school start times.
Maia Spoto, a student at Langley High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, became an official advocate of healthy school start times as a seventh grader, when she first testified before county school board on the issue. She then went on to share her story with the Fairfax Board of Supervisors and a National Geographic film crew, who included her clip in their special, SLEEPLESS IN AMERICA.
Josh Leong of McLean, VA, A student scholar, musician, athlete and award winning filmmaker, began helping SLEEP educate the Fairfax County community on the benefits of healthy high school start times as a middle school student. Josh has edited and produced video footage of politicians, doctors, and teachers advocating for later high school start times. He was happy to be able to benefit from the implementation of later start times as he entered his sophomore year at McLean High School in September 2015.
Preeth Vijay, a junior at Pennsylvania's Holy Ghost Preparatory (2015-16) who published a powerful editorial making the case for later start times and identifying the politics obstructing them in a local paper.
Damian Ubriaco, a freshman Saratoga Springs High School (2015-16), who wrote a moving and well-argued editorial in the Saratogian Newsmaking the case for later school start times.
Ben Press of James Madison High School in McLean, VA played an integral role in successful efforts to delay high school bell times later in Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools (FCPS). Not only did Ben draw on his personal experiences as a sleep-deprived teen, but he learned the scientific basis for why the right kind of sleep is important for teens and incorporated it into his communications with other students, teachers, school administrators, and the public. Ben testified before the FCPS school board about later high school start times and kept the subject front and center as a member of the FCPS School Health Advisory Committee. Chosen as student representative to the school board for 2015-16, Ben's ability to motivate other students to become involved was especially critical during the community engagement portion of the campaign.
2015-16 School Year
Harris LaTeef, the student representative to the Fairfax County School Board from 2014-15, advocated strongly in favor of shifting high school start times to after 8:00 a.m. and encouraged other board members to vote in favor of change. He served as a liaison, representing the student voice as he worked closely with other stakeholder leaders to ensure that student health and well-being would be a top priority for decision-makers.
Eryn Cooper, joined the push for healthy start times when she was in elementary school, signing the SLEEP petition and testifying before the school board at a key meeting. In high school, she became the official voice of Students for SLEEP on Twitter and completed a two-year capstone project about the need for later high school start times. She has testified before the Fairfax County, VA Board of Supervisors and school board, and has been interviewed by print and television reporters, including an NBC news team that repeatedly used footage from a typical school day “morning” with her family to help Fairfax schools move toward healthy start times. Eryn was one of the students featured inSLEEPLESS IN AMERICA, the National Geographic special about sleep. She graduated from Oakton High School at 2015 and hopes to continue her efforts to increase awareness about the value of sleep during college. SLEEP (Start School Later for Excellence in Education Proposal), founded in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2004, and is a partner of Start School Later.
Holly Lang, a high school senior and ex-officio member of the Cheektowaga (NY) Central School Board, Holly has been working to raise awareness about and advocate for changing the brutal 7:22 a.m. at her school. She not only has pitched a time change to school leaders, buttook on a challenge by school trustees to survey students and continues the good fight despite pushback from school leaders and peers alike.
Nichole Khoury, a sophomore at Buckingham Charter Magnet High School in Vacaville, CA, who wrote a prize-winning editorial in her community newspaper arguing that the time has come to delay high school start times.
Christina Revilla and Elizabeth McGrath, Weymouth (MA) High School students (Class of 2015) are leading a campaign to change bell times based on their yearlong Capstone Project researching school science books, news reports and online medical studies about teen sleep deprivation.
Zack Dietz, a junior at Northampton (MA) High School (Class of 2016) who wrote a perceptive editorial critiquing the school system's claim that the only way to achieve later, healthier school hours would be to give up arts, athletics, and Advanced Placement courses.
Clayton Cavanaugh, a junior at Muskego (WI) High School (Class of 2016) is leading the charge to move high school start times from 7:25 to 9 a.m., testifying at the school board and arranging meetings with the mayor, superintendent, and other local leaders, as well as surveying teachers about their thoughts on the topic.
Amy Fan, Bellaire High School, Class of 2016, for getting her essay "Yawn: A Student's Perspective on Not Getting Enough Sleep," published by Dear HISD, an organization run by students for students as a bridge between students and administrators for the Houston Independent School District.
2014-15 School Year
Fritz Schemel, of Staples High School in Westport, CT, who wrote a well-researched and compelling editorial about the need to start school later.
Jonathan Mak, a senior at Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos, CA, is a sleep education advocate and researcher on healthy sleep for teenagers, as well as the founder of the advocacy organization Sleeping 4 Success.
Meghan Brewer of Altamont, NY, who wrote a letter to her local paper enlightening her community and school leaders about efforts to start school later around the country - and showing why it's both important and possible to change school hours.
Attleboro (MA) High School student Erin Lemieux, who wrote a concise, compelling editorial supporting sensible and healthy school hours - and sleep! - for Massachusetts high schoolers.
Worthington (OH) High School juniors Andrew Foster and Zach Walton who presented the case for later school start times to the Worthington Board of Education after a government class research project convinced them to work for change.
Leah Hanrahan, and 11th grader at New Jersey's Point Pleasant Boro High, who wrote a compelling opinion piece for the Asbury Park Pressexplaining why requiring teenagers to be in class at 7 or 8 am is both unhealthy and counterproductive.
Alexandra Curtis, a high school freshman at Pennsylvania's Southern Lehigh High School, made a well-researched presentation to her school board about why moving the 7:40 a.m. start time to 8:45 a.m. would benefit student health and learning.
John Auerbach, a middle school student in Newtown, CT, not only wrote a well-researched and carefully argued report on why current school start times deprive students of sleep but has started a petition, sleep survey, and Start School Later Club to help address this problem.
2013-14 School Year and Earlier
Maddy King, a junior at Fairfax County, VA’s James Madison High School, wrote what a now viral letter to her high school principal, exposing long-suppressed issues that hurt conscientious, average students -including extremely early school start times that deprive them of critical sleep.
Patrick Crowley, a Newsday Opinion Intern and a high school student on Long Island, wrote a clear and compelling article for Newsdayarguing that a later start to the school day would help students focus.
Freda Zhao, a student at the Western Academy of Beijing and an intern at beijingkid, wrote a well-researched piece for beijingkids, where she was interning, arguing that Beijing high schools - which start in the 8 o'clock hour - should start later to fit the teen biological clock.
Hannah Fobert, 12, of Salem, OR, who wrote a clear, well-argued, and well-researched letter-to-the-editor on the need to start school later.
Jilly Dos Santos, a sophomore at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, MO, who created and leads a group called "Students' Say" with both a Facebook and Twitter presence - and a petition - who successfully fought a plan to move the 7:50 a.m. high school start times up to 7:20 a.m. to save on bus costs.
Fatima Shareef, a senior at Edsel High School who wrote a well-referenced editorial discussing the sleep time needed for students aged 11-22 and presenting compelling arguments about why current start times at Dearborn's high schools undermine student success.
Andrew Joyce, a Plympton, MA high school senior who wrote a poignant and well-researched letter to a local paper asking that the school system review the sleep study committee whose work was rejected by the community years earlier.
Leonie Kroeger, a German exchange student at Kleins Collins High School in Spring, TX, who has written two well-researched and argued blogs on teen sleep deprivation and school start times the high school's online newspaper: Students Benefit from Later Start,
Zack Becker. When Zack’s high school moved its start time up from 8 a.m. to 7:35 a.m. so that middle schools could start later, Zack started a Facebook group to fight the change. He planned to take the issue to the school board, but only 15 students agreed to join him. He was recently profiled in the Maryland Heights (MO) Patch.
Jason Luque founded and leads a “Sleep Club” at California's Temecula Valley High School.
Jess Barlow. Citing research from sleep science, Jess created a petition in Amherst, NH to start both the local middle and high school at 8:30 a.m. for the sake of learning, safety, and health.
Matthew Swanson of Burlington, MA wrote a blog (Guest Post: The Necessity of a Later School Start
Time), as well as numerous well-researched and well-reasoned responses, in The Lounge: Student’s
Information Blog.
Katie Carlson, who wrote an Opinion piece (Later start time would improve student performance)
for her school newspaper.
Mary Siebert, an 8th grader in Stevens Point, WI, wrote an eloquent letter to the Stevens Point
Journal arguing that later school start time helps pupils.
Sienna Lee wrote an article for her school paper in New Hope, PA entitled “Why high school students need a later arrival time.”
Devin Neal wrote an article (More Sleep=Better Grades?) on the school start time controversy for The Defensor, the school paper for Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in Virginia Beach, VA.
Victoria Bracher wrote a column (Start time unrealistic) for her school paper in Kent,
OH.
Jack Petrides, a high school freshman at Northampton High School in Northampton, MA, wrote a letter to the Daily Hampshire Gazette's editor explaining why an "early-to-bed" approach won't work for teens.
Britni Berg, a high school student and aspiring journalist from Northbrook, IL, wrote a column on the so-called "race to nowhere" for her local Patch paper. "When students start substituting energy drinks for their eight hours sleep," she writes, "is it time to say, enough is enough?"
Zach Speed, a staff writer for his school's online newspaper in Westport, CT, wrote an opinion piece called "The Wrong Side of the Bed" in which he argues that high school students can't possibly get even close to the amount of needed sleep given current school start times.
If you know other students who deserve recognition for their efforts to promote sane, humane
school start times, please tell us their stories.