Walking downtown earlier this week, shoppers may have noticed clutches of junior school students wandering around. They appeared to be doing a scavenger hunt for a school project, or something similar.
Seeing these students hard at work, seeking their next clue, caused me to reflect on how respectful and mature the majority of teens in town seem to be.
In my time here at the Observer so far, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with a number of youth for various reasons, all story-related – from the high school musical to sporting events to fundraising for a new skatepark. All the teens I’ve interacted with are eloquent and seem, for the most part, at ease speaking to adults.
Thinking back to my teenage self, I remember inwardly cringing when forced to interact with unfamiliar adults. That may have been partly due to my personality, but I also remember other friends offering up one-word answers when speaking to the parents of classmates or guest speakers in classes.
I also remember many instances of being downtown when we should have been in class, hanging out at “four corners” and generally making a spectacle of ourselves.
While I’m sure this still happens to some extent, I’ve been feeling in awe of the articulate, respectful young people that seem to outnumber those getting into mischief.
Students, and their parents and teachers, should be proud. While I’m sure grunts instead of intelligible answers are often heard at home, Quesnel’s youth know how to step up when they need to, reigning in the sarcasm or huffy sighs they might offer their loved ones. It’s something many adults have yet to master.
Melanie Law
Quesnel Cariboo Observer