As election season is at its height of rivalry and excitement, people across the nation are eager to watch the heated presidential debates between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. News anchor Lester Holt moderated the debate, asking the candidates a variety of questions. Some of the topics discussed in the debate included “America’s Direction,” “Achieving Prosperity,” and “Securing America.” Trump and Clinton approached the topics with confidence in their viewpoints, but also with many rebuttals against each other. Over 80 million Americans tuned in to the debate, including members of the Wilmington Friends School community.

According to a study conducted by Harvard University, 60% of American teenagers do not watch the news or follow politics. However, Wilmington Friends School features numerous politically centered clubs and committees that allow students to be engaged in and informed about politics. For example, “World Affairs” is a club where students discuss political issues. Last year, Josh Pincus ’16 and Jodi Lessner ’16 went head to head in a heated debate about Donald Trump and his views. It is important for students to be engaged in political topics so that they are informed about what is happening in the world and are able to form individual opinions. Donald Morton ’93 of the Upper School History Department reflected, “It is all about policies. It is important for people to watch debates, because ultimately everyone will gain something out of them even if it is not political.” Watching a debate is thought-provoking and allows people to delve deeper into the understanding of stimulating ideas and concepts. Aaron Brick ’18 watched Monday night’s debate and shared, “In terms of watching debates, I think it is important for people to self-educate themselves. It is one thing to hear what the media or society says about a candidate, or anyone really, but watching them firsthand and formulating your own opinion is the best thing you can do.” Media plays a large role in society especially during debate season, but Brick projects that students should stay true to themselves when evaluating their true opinions.

After the debate, Wilmington Friends School students and faculty were invited to fill out a poll on who they think won overall. 66.7% of people said Hillary Clinton, 18.2% said Donald Trump, 6% said neither, 3% said it was a tie, 3% said they did not watch, and 3% said “other.” It is significant to note that just because a student filled out one option for the poll does not mean that this is the candidate whom they would vote for if eligible. In somebody’s opinion, a candidate might have simply had a better performance than the other. Also, some people might not have had the time to watch it or simply no interest in doing so. Some believe that the result was a tie, and others think that neither candidate did a great job. However, when evaluating a debate, it is crucial to recognize the preparation that a candidate dedicated to it, along with how well they supported their main points. Nick Sotiropoulos ’18 reflected, “Hillary Clinton was able to back up her points well. It seemed like she knew more than Trump did and put more effort into her preparation. Overall, her facts were more believable.” Being able to support evidence is a necessary life skill, and recognizing the importance of this in debates will hopefully transfer to the classroom.

Some Wilmington Friends School students do not support either candidate but recognize that somebody has to win. In order to do this, it is necessary to examine what each candidate brings to the table. Katie Bodycot ’17 stated, “It is great to watch debates so that you are able to see two different sides of a topic.” People must evaluate their opinions based on who they believe will be a better fit for the American people. Brick added, “In terms of who won the debate, I think Hillary did, but I think almost anyone could have beaten Trump. I do not think either candidate did a particularly good job, not that I expected Trump to in the first place. Hillary could have done much better than she did in that debate. I do not support either candidate or want either of them in office, but I honestly believe Hillary would have a less destructive presidency than Trump would.” Many other Friends students and Americans in general are more on the neutral side about the candidates. However, like Brick, they must take what they are given and evaluate the candidates based on whose views they best affiliate with.

While Wilmington Friends School might be associated as a more liberal school than conservative, not all members of the community align with solely liberal views. In fact, a group of students decided to form a “Young Conservatives Club” this year. While the majority of the Wilmington Friends School community members voted for Hillary Clinton as winner of this debate, it remains necessary to recognize the 18.2% of people who thought Trump to be victorious. As Bodycot suggested, there are always two different sides that need to be studied in order to see the bigger picture as a whole. Diversity is one key concept that makes Wilmington Friends School unique.

Overall, this poll provided evidence that many faculty students are engaged in politics and are able to share their political opinions with others. The Washington Post recently conducted a similar poll, concluding that 53% of the American people believe Hillary Clinton won the debate. Wilmington Friends School can be considered a unique melting pot of ideas and opinions. Everyone has something to bring to the table just as each candidate did in the debate. Thank you to everyone who participated in the poll, and make sure to tune it to the next presidential debate on Sunday, October 9th!