At Mount Michael, students are trained to come to their own conclusions. From English to Social Studies, the departments are constantly encouraging students to challenge what they are told. As a student interested in politics, this made me beg the question: how are politicians bridging the gap between their generation and ours? With the average age of a United States senator being 63 years old, and the average American’s age falling around 39, there is a clear disconnect between the governing and the governed. As civic servants, politicians have the responsibility to hear the concerns and opinions of their constituents; so, I reached out to three officials, and here is what they had to say.

     Don Bacon, the representative from Nebraska’s second congressional district, was far from interested in hearing what I had to say and was instead more focused on his own triumphs. In addition to having cut the in-person interview short for a gala he wanted to attend (amidst the government shutdown in October), Representative Bacon turned nearly all questions regarding student involvement into a boastful political statement. When asked what his office was doing to involve the voices of younger generations in his policies, he responded “I won in a district that Donald Trump lost.” Bacon also used the interview as an opportunity to outline how he was able to secure the popular vote in a Democratic-leaning district, stating, “I’ve always tailored my campaign to moderate Democrats. You can’t just say that, though. You just have to do it by a prominent endorsement by a Democratic politician and then you’re set.” Bacon refused any follow-up statements, clarifications, and future attempts at correspondence.

    Nebraska governor Jim Pillen, on the other hand, took nearly the complete opposite approach. Governor Pillen began the in-person interview by talking about how students’ voices matter deeply. He outlined a four-step plan he was taking to ensure all students have their voices heard, before inviting me to share any complaints my peers and I may have had regarding student involvement in his administration. Governor Pillen even opened the floor to hear student perspectives on immigration reform within the state, displaying attentive behaviors and even taking notes during the discussion. Pillen remarked that “we are all immigrants” and repeatedly stated “Kids are our future. We can never, under any circumstance, give up on our kids.” Governor Pillen’s actions, however, fall short of the very promises he made in the interview. Referring to Democrats as “libtards” on a statewide stage and making racist remarks toward a Chinese journalist in early 2025, Governor Pillen seems to have a disconnect between his charming words and his divisive actions.

    Finally, I reached out to former president Joe Biden via email for a statement, to which he responded: “Young people like you understand something essential to who we are as a Nation: Our actions matter, and together we have the power to change the world.” President Biden’s remarks focused on the real impact students can have on the world by presenting issues from a perspective that others may not have been able to originally see. President Biden highlighted how kindness, determination, and engagement are all vital aspects of pushing our society to be the best it can possibly be.

    For many high school students, voting seems like a lifetime away. But even for students who can’t cast a ballot yet, there is still meaningful action to be taken. Constant efforts to hold elected officials accountable, paired with rigorous determination to maintain a civically educated mind, are all aspects that can push society to become better than it has ever been before. While there is a clear disconnect between students’ wants and the government’s focus, by making ourselves heard at all levels we can strive for an environment where our opinions make a clear difference.

    The common denominator among all interviewed politicians, reguardless of partisan affiliation or level of government, was stark and best summed up in the final words of Joe Biden’s letter to the students of our State: “keep up the great work — we are rooting for you!”