Usually the phrase "kids these days" is said with a sad shake of the head and with the understanding that kids are spoiled, selfish, and just not as good as we were.
A new friend recently told me that "kids" have been at the forefront of all vital change and the leaders of civil rights movements that have impacted the fabric of our society. I got to meet some of those kind of "kids" today.
Four officers of Westfield High's Amnesty International club hosted a junior/senior assembly to bring attention to the genocide in Darfur. Cameron Welch, a junior at Broadripple High, and Ally Denton, a senior at Lawrence Central took time away from school this morning to speak at this assembly. Cameron and Ally shared why they care about the people in Darfur and what they are doing to be a voice for the voiceless. They are both a vital part of the Save Darfur Coalition of Indianapolis. Cameron, 16 yrs. old, is planning a 50 band, 3 day festival in July 2008, out on his uncle's 300 acres in Franklin. Ally is starting a Save Darfur club at her school today at the local Starbucks. I wasn't even sofisticated enough to drink coffee at that age!
I'm so motivated by youth today. Our October 14th Torch Relay is going to be mostly attended by high school and college students. They are ready and willing to make change happen.
Maybe we should be saying "adults these days".
