This week, we’re not going to hear any guff about “the kids these days.”
On May 17, seven local youths were honoured with the Service Above Self Student Youth (SASSY) Awards at the Chief Sepass Theatre.
On May 17 and 18, hundreds of Langley high school students volunteered to spend their day filling sand bags at the Kwantlen and Katzie First Nation reserves, both of which sit outside the dikes and in the flood zone of a rising Fraser River.
Every generation seems to be criticized by its elders for perceived flaws. But the youngsters filling today’s high schools may deserve it even less than any previous group.
Over the years, this paper has covered literally thousands of contributions by teenagers and pre-teens to the community. From fundraising to picking up litter to acts of heroism, all will be found here.
The statistics show this is not just a few good apples.
The rate of high school graduation has been creeping up over the past decade, more than a five per cent increase since 2003. More and more of those kids are going on to post-secondary education as well, despite the growing cost.
Meanwhile, rates of teen pregnancy and smoking are down. Down even more is the overall rate of juvenile crime, which has crashed.
The teens and early 20-somethings in our town, and in our province and country, are one of the most law-abiding, community-minded, tolerant, and kind generations this country has ever produced.
There’s been debate recently about letting younger people vote. Maybe we should be putting them in charge, instead.
– M.C.