In 1997 a group of kids from a middle school in Seattle did what many adults thought impossible: they surveyed thousands of people across the state of Washington using a strange new technology called "the internet." Their work helped decide what the new stadium for the Seahawks would be like.
When the internet was younger than you
Imagine a world where most people didn’t have computers at home. Where the word "Google" meant nothing yet. Where sending a message to a friend over the internet was an adventure because you first had to connect a phone line (and nobody could call you while you were online!), then wait several minutes for a page to load.
It was 1997. The internet existed, but most adults were afraid of it or simply didn’t know how to use it. Email seemed like complicated magic. Only specialists knew how to build a website.
But a group of students at Roosevelt Middle School in Seattle decided they could use this new technology for something important.
A big problem and small researchers
At the time there was a big debate in Seattle. The old Kingdome — a huge concrete-domed building — was falling apart. A new stadium was needed for the Seahawks. But adults couldn’t agree: what kind of stadium was needed? Where should it be built? How much money should be spent?
Politicians and businessmen held meetings. Architects drew plans. But almost no one asked ordinary people — the ones who would actually go to the stadium: families with children, older fans, people in wheelchairs.
Roosevelt’s computer teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Clark, proposed a project to her students: "What if we ask people across the state what they want to see in the new stadium?"
Twelve students — aged 12–13 — agreed to try. They were part of the "Stadium-Future Project." Among them was a girl named Emily Chen, who had never been interested in football but loved computers.
How the kids became pioneers
First the students learned to create a simple website. It wasn’t easy — they had to write special code by hand, line by line. There were no convenient programs to do it automatically like there are now.
Then they designed a survey with questions such as: - How far are you willing to travel to the stadium? - Is space for strollers important to you? - Do you need a roof to protect from rain? - How much are you willing to pay for a ticket?
They posted the survey on their site and began sending invitations by email. First to their parents and acquaintances. Then those people forwarded it to friends. Friends forwarded it to their friends.
In 1997 this was revolutionary. Adult officials conducted surveys by phone or handed out paper questionnaires in malls — slow and expensive. The students used a technology that was faster and reached more people.
In three months the students collected more than 2,800 responses from across Washington State. That was more than any official survey at the time!
When adults started listening
Emily Chen later recalled: "At first adults smiled at us condescendingly, as if we were playing some game. But when we showed our data — tables, charts, maps showing where respondents came from — their faces changed."
The survey results were surprising. For example: - 67% of respondents said a good view of the field was more important than full protection from rain - Families with children most wanted wide aisles and plenty of restrooms - People were willing to pay more for tickets if the stadium was accessible to people with disabilities
The students created a presentation and spoke at a Seattle city council meeting. Thirteen-year-old Emily stood at a microphone in a large hall full of important adults in suits and explained her charts.
Some of their findings did influence the final stadium design, which opened in 2002 (now called Lumen Field). For example, architects made a roof that covers 70% of the seats but leaves the field open — exactly the balance the students’ survey suggested. They also added more family areas and improved accessibility.
Connection to today
The story of these students is particularly striking now, almost 30 years later. Today young people around the world use the internet for important causes: organizing climate movements, collecting signatures to change unjust laws, creating communities to help others.
Greta Thunberg started her climate protest at 15 using social media. Teenagers build apps to help the homeless, websites to support refugees, online petitions to protect animals.
But in 1997, when Roosevelt students used the internet for civic engagement, it was entirely new. They were pioneers — they showed that young people can use technology not only for games but to make their voices heard.
Emily Chen now works as a software engineer building apps for civic participation. She says: "That project taught me that age doesn’t matter if you have a good idea and the tools to make it happen. We didn’t wait until we grew up. We acted right then."
A lesson for all of us
The "Stadium-Future Project" teaches several important things.
First, new technologies are tools. Like a hammer or a paintbrush, they can be used to create something meaningful. The internet in 1997 was as new and mysterious as artificial intelligence or virtual reality are today. But the kids weren’t frightened by the novelty — they saw an opportunity.
Second, young voices matter. Adults often think only they can decide serious issues. But the Seattle students proved that kids can gather information, analyze data, and propose solutions as well as professionals. Sometimes even better, because they ask questions adults have forgotten to ask.
Third, one project can change the future. Those twelve students didn’t build the stadium with their own hands. But their work influenced decisions that affected millions. Every time a family with small children walks comfortably through the wide concourses of Lumen Field, or when a person in a wheelchair easily finds a good-view seat — it’s partly thanks to the kids who, 27 years ago, decided their opinion mattered.
The stadium still stands in Seattle. But the real monument is the idea those students proved: you are never too young to use new technologies to change the world for the better.
