LETTERS: MANY TEEN-AGERS DESERVE PRAISE FOR GOOD EFFORTS

To the editor:

Thank you for printing the article about the 12-year-old Cape Girardeau girl who was chosen as a reporter for Time Magazine for Kids. She is an example for the young people who enrich the community.

Unfortunately, some comments in Speak Out show that callers still think teen-agers are lazy troublemakers who do nothing by play loud music and act obnoxiously. I did not seen any callers congratulating this girl on her accomplishment.

Yes, there are some youths who cause trouble. However, there are many more who are making good things happen in their schools, communities and churches every day, and their efforts go unnoticed.

I work with Live Wires, a group of kids and teens between the ages of 4 and 18 who perform musical revues several times a year in New Madrid, Mo. Time and time again I've seen how the pre-teens and teen-agers go out of their way to serve as role models and mentors to the younger children. If I were a parent, I would be thrilled to see my child idolize one of these fine young people.

Being a teen-ager today is not easy. They face intense peer pressure on everything from what to wear to experimenting with sex and drugs. Plus they have school-related pressures and family issues, and they're in the midst of physical and hormonal changes. But, in many ways, they are still reaching out to make a difference in the world. Please don't make their efforts any less valuable by carelessly flinging around hurtful stereotypes.

MARK BECK

Cape Girardeau