Like most teenagers, I couldn\u2019t wait to get out of high school.<\/p>\n
And though today when I look back on my days at Whitney Point Central High School (graduating class size: 119) with the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia, I see mainly the fun parts and my total lack of any real responsibility – I would not go back if given the option.<\/p>\n
College, yes. But high school, no.<\/p>\n
I was glad to get out and have rarely gone back (though thanks to the wonder of e-mail I have been able to contact the teachers who really made a difference for me).<\/p>\n
Even on The Job, going back to a high school is slightly uncomfortable, reminding me of my own awkward years.<\/p>\n
In the past two weeks, however, I had the opportunity to go back to Kent-Meridian High School on two separate, non-story-gathering situations. In one visit, I talked and the kids listened and in the other, they talked and I listened.<\/p>\n
It was a good time and I recommend it to any community members out there.<\/p>\n
First, on April 30 I had the opportunity to speak at Career Day, talking to interested (well, mostly interested) teens about what it means to be a community journalist and answering their questions about the gig.<\/p>\n
Then, May 7, I was asked to come back and serve as a community member on for the oral presentation part of the senior culminating project<\/p>\n
And you know, not only was it not as bad as I expected, I actually enjoyed both events quite a bit.<\/p>\n
Career Day is always fun for me, since I love my job and love to talk about it. My classroom was never overflowing, but it was never empty either. All of the sessions treated me with respect – more than a guy like me deserves anyway – and at least pretended to be interested as I prattled on about the day-to-day life of a small-time journalist.<\/p>\n
I even enjoyed the kid whose first question was \u201cWhere\u2019d you get that haircut?\u201d because I too would have taken advantage of any idiot who told me \u201cask any question you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
I will, however, admit to being a bit leery about heading back for the presentations. I\u2019d heard they could be dreadful.<\/p>\n
But the senior presentations, a multi-media presentation that sum up the student\u2019s high school experience and plans for the future, provided a fascinating look into the lives of a small sample of (what I can only assume to be) typical K-M seniors.<\/p>\n
Let me tell you something: Times have changed since my high school days.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t seem like that long ago to me (though some of the kids in the high school were not yet born back when I was trying to remember my locker combination), but the simple fact is that things are different today.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t have nearly as much homework as do the kids I talk to today, nor did I have to worry about any of these \u201cculminating project\u201d things the kids now have to do in order to graduate (nor do I fully understand their usefulness, but that\u2019s a different column…).<\/p>\n
And while I had to contend with the wily New York State Regents Exams, I graduated in a pre-No Child Left Behind world so even if I couldn\u2019t have managed the state-wide exams, back then I could still have graduated. I saw a handful of kids during my time watching presentations and each student was different and unique. Only one did not pass the presentation, but he will next time and should graduate.<\/p>\n
But we saw a full spectrum of student life, from a student raising a baby and just looking to graduate and get started on a real job supporting his new family, to a special-needs student who has risen above all of his challenges and will graduate with varsity letters in two sports. There was a very impressive young woman who has had her share of difficulties at home and a non-native English speaker who in two years learned enough of our language that all of us adults were impressed. There was even a student who will graduate next month with both his high school diploma and an Associate\u2019s Degree (thanks to the Running Start program).<\/p>\n
Taken as a whole, it is an impressive collection of teenagers all poised and ready to take on their futures, whether at trade schools, colleges or straight into the real world.<\/p>\n
In all, I was quite impressed with the students I\u2019ve seen at K-M in the past few weeks and the teachers and administrators at that school should be proud of the classes they are turning out, especially under difficult financial conditions and a tough neighborhood.<\/p>\n
Overall, two visits in two weeks has left me whistling a tune from my parents g-g-generation: Despite what you may hear about the terrible state of youth in this country or state or whatever, rest assured that from what I\u2019ve seen, The Kids are Alright.<\/p>\n
Congrats to the Class of 2009.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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