As the City Hall reporter, I don't get to interact with students that often, so it was refreshing to see high schoolers active in the community at two events this weekend.

On Saturday, I participated in a student "Think Tank" at the Gateway Technology Center at NCWC. Thirty-four students from Nash and Edgecombe counties gave up a few hours of their Saturday to hear from local leaders who discussed economic development and invited them to share their input in the Twin County Visioning Process. 

I gave the students an overview of the Visioning Process and invited them to discuss their vision for a gang-free community and how that could be achieved with more positive activities and sports at organizations like the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club.

I was surprised when two Nash Central students came up to me after my presentation and gave me three pages of suggestions and ideas they came up with the night before for the area. This gesture really struck me because I was stunned (in a great way) these two girls would take time on a Friday night to express their thoughts on what has happened and what would make the area better.

On Sunday, I went to a military celebration put together by a Wake Forest teenager who started Hearts from Home. The program raises money to honor the families of servicemen and servicewomen who are deployed. The group raised more than $4,000 to hold the event for hundreds of National Guardsmen and their families at the Louisburg Armory Sunday. It was great to see all of the kids having such a good time and making memories that will hold their mothers and fathers through the upcoming deployment.

Both of these events proved to me that there are students who do care, who do want to help and, if empowered, can do great things. What things are teens you know doing to help the community? What can the community do to help support their efforts? If you know teens who are using their energy to better others, contact us and let us do a story celebrating their efforts.