As a 6th grader, my routine involves waking up at nearly 5:30 AM to catch the school bus. I watch my family go through the same stressful routine every day as well. But we aren't unique — so many students at BMS and BHS face this issue. Routinely being called on by teachers for being tired, falling asleep, or having difficulties concentrating in the mornings — these have become part of our daily experiences. It isn't just about discomfort. Studies show that early school start times can lead to inadequate sleep among students, seriously impacting their health, safety and academic performance (American Academy of Pediatrics). Most schools start too early, not aligning with the biological sleep rhythms of adolescents, which can lead to chronic sleep deprivation. It is important to get full hours of sleep to dedicate your energy throughout the day. Many students at my school, BMS, have a strong feeling against this as well. Many other school programs start much later, and we would love to have that same thing as well. 

If you don't know what I'm talking about, picture this:

You're one of those late sleepers. The one that can't bear to wake up before 10:00 AM. You're enjoying your summer when one day your parents wake you up at 5:30 AM. You can barely open your eyes, not even begin to push yourself out of your bed. After struggling, you realize you only have a couple of minutes to get ready before the bus arrives. This routine goes on for days, weeks, months. You can't stand it. You just want to sleep, and for once not show up to school with deep eye bags. You try your hardest to stay awake, forcing yourself to think and concentrate, but you can't keep your focus. After school, you just want to sleep, but you have to do homework and complete activities. You scream in your pillow and wish for this to be a dream.

Hard to imagine? Well that's what I and my other fellow students here at BMS have to go through. You wouldn't want to do it, correct? So help us, and sign this petition to help stop this problem, and hopefully in the future stop kids from having to go through so much stress.