Editorial: Celebrating our young achievers

OPINION: Bellyaching about the antics of young people is a long-standing national pastime.

While understandable up to a point, grumbling rarely solves perceived problems.

Though it might have some value in opening safety valves and letting off steam, it is more likely to merely add stress both to the lives of recidivist moaners and those unfortunate enough to be their primary audience.

Inevitably, some of the complaining is much ado about nothing. Natural exuberance can be mistaken for intimidatory aggression, crimes of fashion for loose ways and dangerous obsessions and group fun for the potentially riotous.

The bigger the generation gap, the greater the likelihood of misunderstanding.

Some young people do face huge challenges – often not of their own making. Troubled children, many the byproducts of dysfunctional family backgrounds, are a sad reality of any society, and are frequently the cause of much heartache and lost potential.

It is timely then, to acknowledge the efforts of a former Nelson Mail Nelsonian of the Year in Dave Marshall, originator of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organisation which began in Nelson in 1997, has spread to 10 other centres around New Zealand, and this week celebrated its accomplishments.

Rather than anguish over the problems of misguided youth, Mr Marshall went out and did his best to create a cure, and in the past 12 years hundreds of young people have benefited from his organisation's mentoring-based approach.

For every "lost" individual who is saved, society in general gains from decreased crime and increased productivity, and the positive effects can continue down through the generations. Nelson can feel proud of having provided the creative spark for this trail-blazing organisation.

Those who support it in principle should consider whether they might offer it, and needy young people, some practical help, too. The benefits of mentoring tend to flow both ways.

Despite the need for the Dave Marshalls of this world, today's young people are not the lost cause their vociferous critics paint them as.

Most are bright and enquiring, empathic, creative and aware. Across the country at this time, the achievements of our young people are being recognised and praised at school prizegivings.

Duxes are being named, head students praised and senior students sent off into the world with words of wisdom, humour and inspiration from guest speakers, principals and their peers.

Not everyone is destined to be mentioned in dispatches. Recognising that, there has been a push at times to downplay the achievements of the few in order to celebrate the more mundane accomplishments of the many.

Some schools seem determined to hand out a certificate to almost everyone, simply for turning up when they have to.

Given the challenging lives that a few students face, that in itself can be a triumph – but it is important to acknowledge academic success, to create an environment where tall poppies are nurtured and students are stretched and encouraged to polish their talents and shine.

School prizegivings, then, are and should remain a crucial highlight of the school year and a tradition to cling to.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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