The last couple weeks of my life have been full of teens. I’m driving them, talking to them, listening to them, building programs for them… you name it. And, I have to tell you, I am excited.

(Full disclosure: I might have sarcastically asked one if I needed to draw a map for her to find the closet so she could put her clothes away NEATLY. Trust me – I love her despite her aversion to hangers.)

As you know, if you’ve ever read my blog, I attend church at Doylestown United Methodist Church. One of my many “teeming with teens” activities these last few weeks was attending the Youth Sunday service. Pastor Paul is the Pastor of Youth Ministries there and, in addition to being one of the coolest guys you’ll meet, he is having an incredible impact on the lives of teens. I was struck when one of the teens read this piece of scripture:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example….”

Take away specific religions and the power of those words remains the same.

Teens often get a bad rap. We don’t like to see them hanging out in groups of 4 or more. Why are they lingering outside Starbucks? Shouldn’t they be in school right now? You know the deal.

Here’s what I’ve experienced these last weeks. Holicong Middle School’s choir, H-Factor, sang at our Annual Breakfast and blew the room away. Alex Leone, a senior from Solebury School who is bound for Yale, gave the keynote at that same event and made the whole room feel like they could do better. I’ve listened to stories of overcoming fears, lack of confidence, and depression. I was moved by challenges from teens to go out and make the world better – because that’s what they intend to do and are doing.

May is National Teen Self-Esteem Month. I have to tell you, I’ve been more than impressed by what I see and have high hopes for the future.

My days (and some nights) are teeming with teens of late. Once I get past the yawning and the realization that I can’t always keep up anymore, I have this to say to all of them…

DON’T LET ANYONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOUNG – SET AN EXAMPLE!

Ifeoma U. Aduba
Executive Director