Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT REPORTER: THE STUDENTS WERE ALLREPORTER: THE STUDENTS WERE ALLTOP WRITERS AND FINALISTS FROMTHE SENATORS ANNUAL ESSAYCONTEST. A BIG PRIZE OF COURSE, TALKIWITH THE SENATOR ABOUT THE HOTTOPICS IN POLITICS DURING THISVERY DIVISIVE TIME.>> DEFINTEILY EVEN MOREMOTIVATED THEN I THOUGHTPOSSIBLE REPORTER: 19 VERMONT HIGHSTUDENTS STUDENTS JOINED SENATORBERNIE SANDERS IN A ROUND TABLEDISCUSSION ABOUT THE CHALLENGIISSUES FACING THE NATION >> I THINK THAT WHEN BIG MONEYHAS AN INFLUENCE ON POLITICSSUCH LIKE IT HAS IN OUR COUTRNWE AREN'T ABEL TO FIX IT BECAUSETEY HAVE THE CONTROL OVER WHIS PUBLISHED IN THE MEDIA, TNEWS THAT PEOPLE RECEIVE.REPORTER: JUNIOR QUINN NELSONMAYO WON SANDERS' ANNUAL STATEOF THE UNION ESSAY CONTEST,ASKING WHAT ISSUES THEY WOULDPRIORITIZE IF THEY WEREPRESIDENT.>> IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING SOONTHEN EWE AREN'T GONNA HAVENAYTHING TO FIX BECAUSEEVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE GONE>> WELL THAT'S OPTIMISTIC REPORTER: FROM CLIMATE CHANGE,TO VETERANS RIGHTS AND DEFUNDINGPLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE TOESSAY WRITERS TACKLED SOME BIGISSUES, INCLUDING PRESIDENTSDONALD TRUMP'S FIRST WEEKS INTHE WHITE HOUSE.>> WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ISJUST TAKING A WAY HEALTH CAREAND WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GIONGTO BE DOING IS INCREASNI THERATES OF ABORTION EBCUASE YOU'RETAKING A WAY ACESS TO CHEAPCONTRACEPTIVES >> WE SHOUDL BE BRINIGN A LOTMORE PEOPLE IN THIS OUCNTRYDOING EXACTLY HTE OPPOSITE OFWAHT THIS PRESIDENT WANTS TO DREPORTER: AMDIST THE HIGHLYCHARGED POLITICAL CLIMATE, THESENATOR SAYS HE WAS INSPIRED BYTHE YOUNG MINDS IN HIS HOMESTATE.>> I THINK IF EVERY ADULT IN THESTATE OF VERMONT LISTENED TOWHAT THESE 19 KIDS HAD TO SAY,THEY WOULD BE DEEPLY IMPRESSEDAND FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT THEYOUNGER GENERATION, THESE KIDSARE BRIGHT THEY ARE COMMITTEDREPORTER: ALONG WITH BEING ABLETO TALK TO THE SENATOR, THEWINNERS AND FINALISTS ARE BEINGENTERED INTO THE CONGRESSIONRECORD, THE OFFICIAL ARCHIVE OFTHE US SENATE AND HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES.

Advertisement Sen. Bernie Sanders hosts discussion with Vermont HS students 19 students are top winners, finalists in annual State of the Union essay contest Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Nineteen Vermont high school students joined Sen. Bernie Sanders in a round-table discussion Saturday about the challenges facing the nation. The students were all winners or finalists in the senator's annual State of the Union essay contest. "I think that when big money has an influence on politics like it has in our country, we aren't able to fix it because they have the control over what is published in the media, the news that people receive," contest winner Quinn Nelson Mayo said. From climate change to veterans rights and defunding Planned Parenthood, the students tackled some big issues, including President Donald Trump's first weeks in office. "What we are talking about is just taking away health care and what you're actually going to be doing is increasing the rates of abortion because you're taking away access to cheap contraceptives," one finalist said. "We should be bringing a lot more people in this country doing exactly the opposite of what this president wants to do," Sanders said. Amidst the highly charged political climate, the senator said he's inspired by the young minds in his home state. "I think if every adult in the state of Vermont listened to what these 19 kids had to say, they would be deeply impressed and feel very good about the younger generation," Sanders said. "These kids are bright. They are committed." The students are also being entered into the congressional record, the official archive of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.