Teen Success Stories
Putting Teens First: The Results of Later School Start Times
Andrew's Story
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Meet Andrew, a recent graduate of Harriton High School in Lower Merion, PA. In high school, he seemed to have everything going for him. He was a talented soccer player and musician with dreams of attending a top college. But Andrew struggled every morning to wake at 6 a.m. to make a 7:30 a.m. class. Exhausted and foggy, he couldn’t focus in class, his grades suffered, and his body ached from constant fatigue.
Then, in his senior year, everything changed. After years of advocacy, including coordinated efforts by a local Start School Later chapter in conjunction with our national network, Andrew’s high school finally moved its start time to 8:30 a.m. That single hour gave Andrew the sleep he needed to thrive. His grades improved, his energy to recover from soccer returned, and he rediscovered the joy of learning and connecting with friends. As Andrew put it, "Everyone is happier at school" with a later start time. |
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Matt's Story:
Rethinking School Start Times At Newton South High School in Massachusetts, student Matt was getting by on only six hours of sleep, though he felt he needed 8-9 hours to feel well. This wasn't unique to him; many of his friends felt their lack of sleep was impacting their ability to take honors courses or even play sports.
As a dedicated representative of the school committee, Matt took these concerns directly to his principal. He highlighted the issue using data from a student survey, which starkly showed that 73% of students didn't feel they were getting adequate sleep. Matt's student advocacy, along with efforts from other Newton advocates, proved successful. Since the original video about Matt's initiative was produced, the Newton School Committee approved later high school start times. The new schedule officially took effect in the fall of 2021, with classes at both Newton North and Newton South High Schools now beginning at 9:00 a.m. |
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Josiah's Story
California's groundbreaking school-start-time law is a game changer for students Josiah, a student at Summit High School in San Bernardino, used to drag himself through the day, exhausted by second period thanks to a 7:30 a.m. start time. But everything changed in 2022, when California became the first state to mandate later school start times—requiring high schools to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
Now, Josiah gets the sleep he needs. He wakes up feeling “way more rested,” has time to eat breakfast, and no longer feels burned out before lunch. For him, the new schedule isn’t just a policy change—it’s a lifeline. |
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Hazel’s Story:
When Seattle pushed its school start times to 8:45 a.m., student performance, health, and happiness improved Hazel, a senior at Franklin High School in Seattle, used to struggle with early mornings that left her groggy and unfocused. But everything shifted when her school adopted an 8:45 a.m. start time—giving her an extra hour of sleep each night. Now, Hazel feels more alert and energized, and it shows: her schoolwork improved dramatically, and she was more engaged in class.
Her biology teacher noticed the difference too—not just in Hazel, but across the board, with fewer absences and less tardiness. Hazel’s story reflects a broader truth: when schools prioritize sleep, students thrive |
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