From the stolen jewels at the Louvre to the building of the new White House ballroom, the world never stops producing headlines. Each day, breaking news appears on our screens, whether on social media or the nightly ABC News, continuing to shape people’s perspective of the world. But just how much are the younger generation, especially high schoolers, paying attention to, and where do they get their news from?
“I heard about the heist at the Louvre, which I saw on TikTok. All I know is that the items were really priceless,” said Sami Yarbrough (‘27).
TikTok, Instagram, and other forms of social media are the primary ways most young people stay up-to-date on what’s happening, whether actively or passively. However, some students find different approaches to consuming media.
“I receive news of current events from CNN and ABC. Sometimes I’ll come across their news page on their Instagram account, and I’ll read the headlines there. I also talk a lot about current events with my parents as well,” said Ella King (‘26).
When encountering information passively rather than actively seeking it out, students display varying levels of knowledge about current events and what they felt was important. Passive information includes current events that students encounter while scrolling through social media or hearing about something online. In contrast, actively receiving information included students’ desire to read an article on a topic they found interesting, and to further their knowledge of current events.
“I mainly see a lot of news on the political situation in the United States, but I don’t know a lot about it. It’s mostly just satire,” said Alex Coursey (‘26). “I also don’t feel very confident in my knowledge of what’s going on, though I’m not really concerned with it either.”
Similarly, some students attributed their knowledge of current events, or lack thereof, to their inability to effect change and to their remaining largely unaffected by those events.
“Controversially, I try not to stay updated with current events that happen out in the world. I feel like it’s either not something I’m too passionate about, or it’s my inability to take action on it, even if I do have an opinion. It’s not just because I’m under 18, but also because I’m not a citizen of the United States, so that I wouldn’t have any voting rights anyway,” said Trisha Kamat (‘26).
In contrast, some students felt more adamant in their opinions on government policy, whether they’re affected by it or not.
“The Trump Administration’s lack of a legal immigration policy and illegal deportations is, in my opinion, sickening,” said Benjamin Doney (‘28). “I think no First Amendment or Fifth Amendment rights are being incorporated into that process, even though due process is a standard of American life and democracy. Unfortunately, it’s not being used here.”
While headline-worthy events are happening every day, a particular recent event stood out in the minds of many students.
“We were at the dinner table, and my mom or sister brought up how the crown jewels were stolen from the Louvre. I was shocked that I hadn’t heard about it all. Later, my friends brought it up at school,” said Madison Sullivan (‘27).
The shared knowledge of the Louvre heist by many students suggested that many students stay up to date on dramatic stories that easily capture attention, rather than on policy or political updates.
“I do receive some news article notifications on my phone, but I don’t tend to read them very much. The notifications I do end up checking tend to be natural disasters and those types of things,” said Kamat.
Although many students showed varied interest in current events, they acknowledged the importance of what is happening in the world.
“I would like to know more about what’s going on. Sometimes people will be talking about events, and I won’t understand what is happening, and then I’ll end up being annoying to the other person,” said Masiyah Roberts (‘29).
Furthermore, many students have shown interest in becoming more aware of current events in their high school.
“I think that our Bulldog Time News should have a real-world news section, rather than just details about high school sports. Information about current events in Georgia and in the world would be beneficial,” said Brice Zanger (‘27).
While many Chamblee students recognize the importance of current events, staying engaged can be a challenge.
“I absolutely think it’s important to stay up to date. I think we need something for high school students to read, maybe a 5-minute summary of what’s happened over the past 24 hours. I feel like we need to raise awareness, especially with how much false information there is in this age with social media and digital technology,” said King.
