By Naomi Lawrence and Lydia Velazquez ’17

Seen on T-shirts, sweatshirts, even phone cases, the phrase “Feel the Bern” highlights the enthusiasm that young people, including some Sherwood students, feel about democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. These young people’s engagement in the political process is made all the more surprising by the fact their excitement centers on a rumpled 74-year-old who is a two-term senator from Vermont. So what is it that makes Sanders so appealing?

Senior Danielle Levy, a Sanders supporter, thinks the answer is the Vermont senator’s authentic zeal for his ideas. “The fact that he’s so passionate about his views and beliefs,” said Levy. “A lot of times when we think of old white men, we think of crabby Republican men who want to suppress our rights, and Sanders is very liberal and the opposite of this.” Levy describes him as her “grandpa,” which reflects that some young voters view his old age positively.

However, it is his call for a “revolution” that most explains his appeal. Sanders has campaigned on a promise to close the massive income gap between the super-wealthy and other Americans. “He is one of the candidates that is truly for the people,” remarked sophomore Morgan Rowland.

He also has made particular pitches that appeal specifically to young people, such as a call for free college tuition. “As a senior, I’m going to college, and he’s trying to make public college free, which, why wouldn’t it be?” observed Levy. “A lot of other countries have free education so why wouldn’t America want their education to be free?”

Sanders has garnered a substantial amount of support across the board, including from celebrities such as actor Josh Hutcherson, who stars in the “Hunger Games” franchise. Other well-known supporters of Sanders who have made appearances and played at his rallies include indie bands Vampire Weekend, Young the Giant, and Foster the People.

“[The goal is] to get younger voters, like millennials, because the millennial voter rate is very low but the support for Bernie among millennials is very high. So I think he’s trying to encourage the voters to get out and actually vote,” explained senior Shoshana Rybeck.

Although his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, continues to be the front-runner to win the nomination, Sanders looks positioned to stay in the contest for the long run. His upset win in the Michigan primary on March 8 bolstered his claim that his messages are resonating with voters in a variety of states.

Now that Sanders has established himself as a legitimate candidate, some wonder if he has moved past the “Feel the Bern” slogan that began as a simple hashtag. “I liked it at first, but when he accepted it as his own slogan I didn’t like it,” said senior Blake Munshell, who supports Sanders. “I thought it was better as a joke that his voters came up with.”

Levy thinks the slogan continues to work well for Sanders. “It’s really empowering, plays well with his name, and it’s easy to remember.”