Positive signs from today’s youth

Often when reading or listening to a news medium we learn of teenagers and young adults getting into trouble. The trend has become such that some of us may have the idea that there is no hope for the future generations. Generations have come and gone with the same notion that they are only here to cause havoc and to get into trouble.

But is this really true? Can anything good or positive be seen in the youth of today? Have we really looked to see such characteristics in today’s youth? News media many times has limited time or space to get certain ‘newsworthy’ items in. Items which sell papers and magazines or make an individual to want to turn to a certain radio or television channel.

Can anything good and or positive be seen in our youth today? I am very positive that we can.

During the second week of June, I stayed at the Easter Seals Camp. The camp is situated on approximately 90 acres of land with a beautiful shore line on Old Hickory Lake near Mt. Juliet in Wilson County. This camp is in its 48th year and has eight sessions of camping each summer for various handicapping conditions and ages. My session was primarily for adult physical disabilities 18 and up. This was my 30th year to attend the camp.

The thing which has always really amazed me about the camp is the quality of the counselors that make up the staff at Camp Easter Seals. The staff is actually made up mostly of college students with an eye toward the medical field. Some who have worked as counselors that I know about didn’t have this as there primary goal. One that I know took off six weeks from his job as computer programmer at Vanderbilt University to work as counselor as a volunteer. Strange isn’t it? A volunteer from Vanderbilt!

Another counselor is a John Deere employee in Murfreesboro. Some have become teachers of the disabled. Others have become therapist of various sorts. One individual who started working with the camp at the tender age of 14 as a counselor, continued until well into his twenties, working himself up to head counselor, and then to camp director. He used to install wheelchair ramps, and now he installs wheelchair lifts in vans in Gallatin. He made three visits to camp during the adult session. Once was to bring a camper, as her parents are not able to drive.

Now I would like to look at something a little closer to home. For the past three or four years several congregations of churches of Christ of Warren, Coffee and Cannon counties conducted Bible Bowls during the winter months. Each week teams from each participating congregation would meet and study certain Bible passages. Then once a month they would meet at different congregations to compete with one another. Rewards are given to those who give the most correct answers.

Do we ever hear or read about stuff like this in the papers or on radio or television? There is no room for these kinds of things. Most people who think the world is going to pot, never sees some of the really good things going on.