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Sunday, March 09, 2003 Page: 3A
A HORN WAS BLARING. MOTORISTS WERE FUMING. THE LIGHT WAS GREEN, AND HAD
BEEN. BUT THE CARS WEREN’T GOING ANYWHERE. THE CAUSE OF THE DELAY SHUFFLED
SLOWLY ACROSS THE STREET, IN A LOOSE PACK. SHOULDERS SLUMPED, THEY INCHED
ALONG, DEFYING TRAFFIC AND THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGNAL. A FLOCK OF DUCKS?
NO. LITTLE OLD LADIES THEN. BINGO JUST LET OUT, RIGHT? WRONG. IT WAS A SMALL
GROUP OF TEENAGERS, IN THE PRIME OF THEIR LIVES, CAPABLE OF CROSSING AN
INTERSECTION IN TWO SECONDS OR LESS, BUT CHOOSING NOT TO BECAUSE, BECAUSE,
BECAUSE … YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE. YOU’VE SEEN THEM BEFORE, STANDING
AROUND, WITH NO PARTICULAR PLACE TO GO. MOST OF THEM LOOK NORMAL ENOUGH. A FEW
HAVE TATTOOS, AND FUNKY HAIRDOS, AND RINGS THROUGH ALL KINDS OF THINGS. THE
VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE IRRITATING, BUT HARMLESS. THEY WON’T ALWAYS BE.
THEY’LL GROW UP TO WRITE US SPEEDING TICKETS, DENY US BANK LOANS AND STICK
NEEDLES FILLED WITH NOVOCAINE INTO OUR GUMS. AND SOMEDAY, WHEN WE’RE OLD,
THEY’LL MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR WORLD. DOES THAT WORRY YOU A
LITTLE?Quality young people emerging
I spent a day last week reading applications submitted for our annual Best
and Brightest contest. We’re blessed with some incredible high school seniors
around here.
Alexander Mertz of E.L. Meyers High School, a champion debater, can talk
your ear off. Mahnaz Rahman of Wyoming Seminary can talk your ear off in five
languages.
They’re not just smart. The 27 high school seniors whose applications I
reviewed are trying to make a difference in our communities.
Our best and brightest work for free in hospitals, nursing homes and child
care centers. They organize and participate in charity events. They volunteer
as Big Brothers, Big Sisters and youth sports coaches. They are active in
their churches, their schools and their communities.
Upon closer inspection of the applications, some amazing individuals
emerged.
There’s Alec Coquin, a student at Wyoming Seminary, who can do as he
pleases on the weekends. What pleases him most is serving ice cream every
Saturday to the residents at the Tiffany Court retirement home.
And Bridget Durkin of West Pittston, a student at Scranton Preparatory
School, who has a way with words, and a passion for writing. If she had a free
day, she’d share it with her Grandma.
A good book and a warm fireplace is enough to make Amanda Height happy. The
GAR Memorial High School student writes poetry that brings tears to your eyes.
And Amy Edgerton of Bishop Hoban High School says she closely analyzed her
life before humbly describing herself as “organized, dependable and a good
listener” on a college admissions application.
Amy could have put down anything. She should have put down “honest,” and
“humble.”
I could go on and on. For every little devil you name, I can name a dozen
angels. And for every criminal act you can hang on a kid, I’ll cite a dozen
acts of kindness.
So stop worrying. I know I did. Our future is in good hands.
Call Jones at 829-7215 or e-mail caseyj@leader.net.