Sisters teen, an aspiring politician, interviews leaders, creates YouTube channel

Supports controversial new law, 3-year pause in state graduation requirements, new teaching approaches

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Kale Gardner is a 14-year-old Sisters resident, soon to be a freshman in high school. What sets him apart however, is that he's also an aspiring politician who has a YouTube channel titled Kale Gardner dedicated to interviews with various political figures and topics.

Gardner told NewsChannel 21 on Sunday he became inspired to build his virtual platform after realizing that his and a lot of his classmates' voices weren't being heard.

As of late, he is pushing for change in how kids are assessed in the classroom. He said Sunday that he’s a large proponent for education reform and believes Senate Bill 744 will help him and other students that struggle academically.  

The bill, signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown last month, suspends state reading, writing, and math proficiency requirements for Oregon high school graduates and has created a lot of debate and controversy. 

Those in opposition to the new law call it racially based and say it paves the way to a less educated workforce. 

However, Gardner said it will help people like himself, who learn differently.

“I know I’m a smart kid, but if you were to look at my grades, you wouldn’t think so. You see, I struggle in school. and it’s really hard," the teen said.

"Schools' idea gives you information and makes you throw it up on a test, and that’s how they really judge you. That’s not true education. True education is testing the capabilities of what students can do. I learn best by being in the real world, not from sitting in a classroom for seven hours a day.” 

Gardner said he started his YouTube channel, with over 200 subscribers and thousands of views, over a year and a half ago, to talk about things affecting his generation. With several of his interviews came some memorable moments.

“One that I really appreciated, I didn’t know what would come out of it, is Secretary of State Shemia Fagan," Gardner said. "I thought I would interview her, and that would be it. It turned into me working for Secretary of State Shemia Fagan in the Elections Division, not just even two weeks ago.”

Gardner is currently getting tutored to improve his academic standing, but said he looks forward to a system that caters to more diverse styles of learning.