YOUNG MEN, WOMEN MAKE GOOD NEWS

When newspaper readers, television viewers and radio listeners -- and even Web surfers -- complain that there is too much "bad" news, they have a point. And when the news of violence and drugs involves children and teen-agers, the overall impact can get pretty depressing.

But a quick scan of recent editions of the Southeast Missourian shows there is ample reason to sit up and take notice of the outstanding achievements of young people in our area. For example:

-- We chronicled Daniel Dirnberger Day at Oran High School back in March. The celebration followed the high school senior's second-place finish in the Veterans of Foreign Wars "Voice of Democracy" national essay competition. In addition to some $3,600 in prizes and scholarships, young Dirnberger also received a $15,000 college scholarship for his achievement.

-- Just last week we reported on the election of another high school senior, this time at Advance High School, as national president of Family Career and Community Leaders of America. This newly named organization has been around for a long time. Most of us remember it as Future Homemakers of America, which has a chapter in just about every high school in the country. Although the new name isn't quite as snappy as the old FHA, it certainly is far more representative of the organization's objectives and its membership. Young Ross McFerron isn't as interested in recipes -- he says people who know him won't eat what he cooks -- as he is in preparing high school students for the careers and families that lie ahead.

-- And just this week we carried a report from our sister newspaper in Sikeston, the Standard-Democrat, that told of three Sikeston teen-agers among the 1,500 competitors from the United States and Canada in the National High School Finals this week in Gillette, Wyo. Sikeston has long had a good reputation for its own rodeo, but the national event in Wyoming attracts only the top young men and women. Erica Johnson of Sikeston is competing in pole bending. Ben Ray of Foristell and Ty Ferrell of Sikeston are competing in team roping. All three are members of the SEMO 4-H Club.

There are dozens more stories like these that are happening all around us every day. The Southeast Missourian, like most newspapers, relishes publishing good news about the folks who live in our area and read our newspaper. Fortunately, we get plenty of help through phone calls and letters reminding us of these achievements. We would always be pleased to get more.

Finally, a brief word about the "bad" news.

It may be of little comfort, but we still live in a society where teen-age malcontents and evil doers are relatively rare. As a result, the actions of this minority tend to grab big headlines. Consider the alternative. If most young people were rotten to the core, their misadventures wouldn't even make the news. What a sorry world that would be.

Congratulations, Daniel, Ross, Erica, Ben and Ty. You are representing your peers in the best possible way. Good luck in all your endeavors.