Kids care most about education, climate change, new Week Junior survey finds

Children born since 2010 — Generation Alpha — care the most about access to quality education, protecting the environment, and ending hunger, and want leaders to take action now, the new Junior Voices survey from The Week Junior and YouGov found.

The top issue for Generation Alpha is education, with 34 percent saying it's important to them that every kid has the opportunity to get a good education and go to college if they'd like to attend. The environment is a close second, with 29 percent saying we must protect wildlife, ensure there is clean water and air, and reduce climate change, followed by hunger, with 28 percent saying all Americans must have enough food to eat. Equality — taking action to make sure people of all races, genders, and backgrounds are treated fairly — and ensuring everyone can get and afford good health care are also top concerns.

A quarter of the respondents said they feel hopeful about the future, and 24 percent feel inspired to do something to make a difference. Andrea Barbalich, editor-in-chief of The Week Junior, said this year's Junior Voices survey "once again showed that kids not only have strong points of view on the issues that matter to them, but are passionate about using their voices for change."

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YouGov surveyed 733 children between the ages of 8 and 14, after contacting their parents online. The surveys were conducted Sept. 23 through Oct. 11. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all U.S. children ages 8 to 14.