Teens talk about gas prices

Lake Washington High School teacher Milo Dullum asked students in his collision-repair and auto-detailing classes to write about how rising gas prices have affected them. The classes, held in the only high-school-based auto-body shop left in the state, are part of the Northeast Vocational Area Cooperative. Students come from nine participating school districts, driving from Issaquah, Bothell, Duvall and Redmond. Out of 35 students, only a handful said they haven't changed driving habits.

Here are excerpts from some of their essays, edited for grammar.

"Now that I just got my license, I can't drive anywhere because gas costs too much. This is especially true when I'm thinking about going to the away football games. I'll find out where the game is and think to myself, 'Oh, the game's on the plateau. Is the drive worth the gas?' I am constantly asking myself this before any trip I make."

— Jared Gourlie

"Gas prices don't affect me directly because I don't drive. However, since gas prices are higher, my parents and my friends are more reluctant to give me rides places... . I can't get rides everywhere like I used to. I have to take the bus."

— Jeremy Aquino

"Gas prices have affected my life in many ways. The first way is that I have no spare spending money. I have to make sacrifices to go places. I also do not enjoy driving as much because I know that I am spending lots of money to do it."

— Jed Pronk

"High-school days are all about driving places, and high gas prices keep us from doing that. Nobody can get anywhere without charging friends gas money. I work 20 hours a week at $7.45 an hour, and every dime goes to gas."

— Rhyan Grogan

"I use to drive around everywhere, not really worried about filling up gas. Now I have to plan out where I'm going to go and how much I will have to spend to fill up. ... I also have to lower my spending budget to save for expensive gas."

— Viet Le

"I drive a truck with a 40-gallon tank, and it gets like 12 miles to the gallon. The last time I filled up the tank, it was like $80, and it didn't last me but five days. It is just way too expensive for me."

— Josh Wilson

"The high cost of gas has taken a big bite out of my wallet. On average, I spend maybe $80 to get around in my [vehicle]. I feel lucky to have a small engine. At work I have to put in more hours, which means less time for me to spend with friends and family. I can't wait for gas to be affordable again."

— Braulio Arias

"Everyone needs a car these days. It's impossible to get around without one. Most teenagers work after school and on weekends. I can easily say that a quarter of my paycheck every month goes to gas money. Gas is expensive compared to how much money we make. ... [Some] teenagers refuse to go to work because they can't afford to keep a car. And those who don't have cars in high school are under peer pressure. Is this healthy for our teenagers? Absolutely not."

— Annie Hartoonian