Many teenagers want school to start a little later

Teenagers in Utah have diverse opinions on what time school should start, what time lunch should be — and other ways in which the school schedule might be improved.

"It would be perfect if school started at 9 and ended at 2, with an hour for lunch so we could actually go somewhere." — Rachel Stout, senior, Lone Peak High School

"I'd start school at . . . probably 7 because it's not so early but not too late that school lasts forever. I'd like lunch at probably around 11:30, because it's closer to noon, when I usually eat." — Christopher Perkes, sophomore, Cottonwood High School

"I would change the classes to one set of 7 or 8 a day instead of two sets of 4, and I would turn Friday into a consultation day, and the rest is OK as it is." — Chantelle Pendleton, junior, Provo High School

"I'd make our school start at 9, I'd change lunch to being an hour long, and I'd have all the classes slightly shorter — because kids our age need more sleep and need a little more leisure time, because sitting through hour-and-a-half classes deserves more than a 35-minute break." — Michael Fee, junior, Cottonwood

"I think school should be from 8 to 1:30, and they should serve lunch after the last class. That way, those students who leave for lunch wouldn't be tardy for their next class. Lunch would still be at school, and the buses could pick the students up after lunch is over." — Annika Albrecht, senior, Lone Peak

"I think it would be smart to start school later — 8:30 or 9 a.m. are good times. Sure, school ends later and kids can complain that it is taking up their free time of the day, but the fact is, most kids stay up way late doing things anyway, so you might as well have it so kids have a chance to sleep in." — Brandon Hassler, senior, Timpview High School

"It would be 9 to 3. This way you sleep in at least a little, but you still get a good day's work in. That would make each class an hour and five minutes long, with a 45-minute lunch and five-minute transition between each class. We would have to go longer in the year, but isn't it worth it?" — David McCoy, junior, Lone Peak

"School should start at least at 10 and lunch should start at noon, because it's the normal time people have lunch, and the classes should be an hour long." — Staci Kirby, junior, Cottonwood