Seniors, the Voice of the Future

 

Out with the old and in with the new.  Isn’t that the model mission statement for innovation?  Advancements take new energy, thought processes and creative abilities to make changes materialize into doable solutions. We need young eager people to bring this in massive waves to our country and guess what?  They are here!

As I attended two weekends in a row of high school graduations, these thoughts were circulating in my mind.  Seeing over 700 seniors graduating from two large high schools in the country, one in TN and one in KY, the numbers of opportunities for growth for us are all around us. We have so much potential as a nation because of these young people. They are coming into the work force, some directly joining and others will be in the pool post-graduation education. 

3.8-3.9 million students are graduating in 2026 at a time when our country needs their innovative thinking. We need their ability to think outside the box.  Old systems are not working whether we are talking about politics, healthcare, civil rights, prison systems, transportation updates, you name it.  The disparity between rich and poor has become unsurmountable as big money and long-term tenure become a mainstay stable of our government representatives.  Does the government serve the people that elect it?  Ask seniors and you can get an objective statement. They are not buying it.

Livable wages must be accessible for all willing to work.  Hateful rhetoric is not what builds us up but what is literally tearing us down.  Graduates today do not know a history united but they can be divisive in getting this changed and so much more.   These kids need to be confidant than can change the world they live in, because, if not, they will suffer.  They need to be given the opportunity and supported to realize the American Dream doesn’t have to be a pipe dream for them or anyone else in this country.

The faces on the graduation floor showed joy but also displayed apprehension when speakers spoke of

the challenges they will face post-graduation.  The Valedictorian at one of the schools is the daughter of immigrants. Her folks came from Ethiopia, a nation Trump lumped in with the group of ‘shit-hole countries. Her parents gave up all to try to make a better life. Her beauty and intelligence were evident at she spoke as was her darker colored skin. This gave cause for concern, will be grabbed at some point by ICE and detained?  Would her classmates help her? I had more faith in them doing so than any of the adults in the audience. Ask yourself, have we made it easier or harder for these young adults to be successful?  Did we teach them, as a nation, the value of taking care of vulnerable members in society so we are again that shining star example of democracy? We can’t only be interested in self-interests and claim to care about Christianity in the same breath.   

Repeating mistakes and doing stuff the same way may make us stable, but it can make us stagnant like pond scum.   In a changing world, no movement is pivotal backward movement. Encourage our youth to create innovation!  Be supportive of their efforts to design a plan for their future and to work with everyone around them. They need to know they are empowered to make a stand, make a change and simply must be the face of the nation, not ours.