Raise Your Hand

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“Raise Your Hand” is a monthly editorial column written by high school students and their peers in collaboration with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Its purpose is to provide a platform for youth voice, particularly DOE students. Since its start in March 2016, over 90 articles have been published in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

We fervently believe that when youth are allowed to voice their opinions, amazing feats are accomplished. A young adult’s concerns are not only about school lunches, bullies, or the dress code. The younger generation is just as passionate and invested as their adult counterparts in issues facing our world. After all, they are our future leaders!

Click here to learn more about Raise Your Hand.

Blog Posts

Lowering the voting age to 16 will help to make voting a habit for young people. With more familiarity at a younger age, individuals will be more inclined to vote in future elections, improving overall voter turnout. Additionally, it communicates the importance of civic engagement and fosters active participation in democracy.

"According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “toxic masculinity” is defined as a set of attitudes and ways of behaving stereotypically associated with or expected of men, regarded as having a negative impact on men and society as a whole. Some individuals on the extreme end have appropriated the term to express their disdain for men, twisting the true meaning of the term."

"While having increased alertness and energy can be helpful, caffeine consumers can easily fall into a potentially dangerous cycle of dependence."

"Yes, the app is highly addictive, affecting social development and mental health," says Rihanna. "No, blatant censorship would harm democratic fabric of our society," argues Brayden.

"The reason that not enough housing is built in Hawaii is that regulations are onerous, numerous and convoluted. More often than not, it takes several years to get all of the necessary approvals."

"At its core, education is a variable of location. This is why the problems people face with education are so varied; no two schools work the same or are of the exact same quality. Some people are lucky enough to go to great schools, while others have to fight to get into one of the few good schools around."

"When questions over fairness and safety are raised, many who advocate for the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports opt for swift reprisal rather than honest dialogue."

Talking to a stranger can be terrifying: you don’t know them, they don’t know you, and now you’re in an awkward conversation about the weather. When Pan faced this struggle she turned to Nicholas Epley, a psychologist, for help. He shared a profound statement: “Nobody waves — but everybody waves back.”

"Our democracy is at risk because we are plagued with an inability to communicate with one another, which divides our country and weaponizes our constitutional rights."

"The pandemic has come to a slowdown and regulations are ending, creating a hard push back into pre-pandemic life. With the world returning back to “normalcy,” employers requiring employees to return to the office has become a point of contention."