Guest Where I Stand — Lauren Wu: Students tackle topics

Thursday, Dec. 26, 2002 | 9:08 a.m.

Editor's note: More than 1,000 students from 30 Clark County high schools participated in the 47th annual Sun Youth Forum Nov. 26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The students were divided into groups to discuss various topics. A spokesperson was chosen from each discussion group to write a column about the students' findings. Lauren Wu of Advanced Technologies Academy tells of the students' opinions in the session titled "Potpourri."

THE SESSION'S moderator, U.S. District Judge Phillip Pro, initiated the discussion with a very widely disputed topic: the benefits and disadvantages of stem cell research and cloning.

Many students agreed that there are many advantages to stem cell research, the most important of which is the ability to reproduce tissues to help people with diseases and other health problems.

Other students, however, brought up the point that stem cell research is done using embryos that are viable. This argument was challenged with the response that the original human embryos used for the research are constantly reproducing themselves, eliminating the need for new embryos.

Another perspective presented to support this argument was that stem cells come from embryos left over from infertility treatments. These embryos are believed unable to develop into humans and would be either discarded or frozen for future research. Why not use them to improve human life if possible?

Stem cell research led directly into the subject of cloning. The positions regarding both stem cell research and cloning were never wholly agreed upon because it was evident that the students believe it is the sole responsibility of each and every person to make their own decision.

The future, standardized tests and family values were all subjects that brought forth opinions from the participants. All in all, students feel that they are prepared for their future and that it will take self-confidence, decision making, and open-mindedness to help them succeed. There is always the fear, however, of the unknown with such issues as the economy, the possibility of war, and adulthood.

Directly related to the future was the question of the need for standardized tests, including SATs. Students agreed that there is a need for some kind of standardized test that will allow colleges to compare students from Nevada to students from any other state in the nation. Some, however, felt that the way the SAT is formatted does not necessarily test knowledge and that there should be another test that is fairer. Others felt that there should not be two different tests, such as the ACT and the SAT. Others said it benefits students to have both. The group agreed that colleges should definitely look at the whole package (essay, teacher recommendations, transcript) when accepting students.

Talk of the future and of college tied into the discussion of family values. Some participants believed that today's society is allowing children to grow up much faster, leading to kids wanting to dress and look older. This change was attributed in part to the media and technology and also in part to the way in which parents raise their kids today. Taking the discussion from another point of view, other students said that the way family values are in the current day actually benefit children in that they learn individuality and make their own decisions regarding education and society.

The Internet is one of the largest sources of information in the world. The issue regarding it was the question of safety for children. It was established that it is up to parents to instill moral values in their children and develop trust when they get online. One good solution was to monitor where children go on the Internet by having the computer located in a place where everyone has access, such as the kitchen or family room. Some students felt that Internet blocking programs can be a nuisance, because they often cannot view certain harmless information when doing research for school.

The Internet discussion led to the issue of availability of pills, drugs and other substances online. It is very easy to buy certain drugs, as long as there is access to a credit card number. Again, parents are responsible for teaching their children. Many students also felt that the government should be involved in bringing to an end the many sites online that sell illegal drugs. These issues were just some of the many debated in the session. Some of the others included:

Teens today are undoubtedly keeping up with the issues and problems of society. Not only do they take an active interest in what goes on in Nevada and in the country, but they also keep up with global affairs. The future of the United States depends on the ability of tomorrow's adults to step up and complete what today's adults have started.