Welcome to the paper

Over the weekend we received numerous letters from students participating in a civics course at Wellington Heights Secondary School.

Their teacher, Dave Forsyth, gave us a heads-up to expect letters, which was good. While all were not marked as student letters, we were able to ascertain the origin of most. What we found most interesting was the topics the students chose. From current events to fashion complaints, the students had an interesting take on the world around them.

While much is said about young people’s self-absorbed ideas about the world, perhaps the challenge of helping them think has not been taken up by adults and community leaders. If the most engaging conversation at home is bills, entertainment, or the latest hockey score, there is likely a reason that civics takes a back seat.

Like most things in life, people need to be introduced to new interests; it doesn’t just happen. Kids are no different.