2 Examples of Youth Altruism

Although I believe that the article “Senioritis Strikes--as Predictable as Graduation” (Southeast / Long Beach sections, May 24) was not really misleading about teen-agers or gave a negative comment on them, I do believe that a better, more worthwhile subject could have been chosen by the Los Angeles Times.

For example, in my school, Cerritos High, there are two notable campus organizations that exemplify an admirable, if not surprising, sense of altruism and maturity that young people possess. The Octagon Club is a community service club run almost entirely by adolescents. We have given $50 to a different charity each month, provided Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners for needy families, raised almost $250 for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation through our car washes, served as chaperones for the Special Olympics, and worked with the Sheriff’s Department to fingerprint small children.

The Model United Nations (MUN) club at Cerritos High is a debating team that simulates the real United Nations. Students from hundreds of different high schools are assigned different countries to represent in a conference which is usually held at a major university. Cerritos High has one of the finest MUN teams in Southern California and possibly the nation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that any adult would be astounded by the level of awareness these high school students possess about international politics.

I strongly urge the Los Angeles Times to write stories about adolescents which will enlighten the adult world about the positive, sometimes inspiring things which young people can and have achieved. After all, today’s young people are tomorrow’s adult leaders.

JOHN KANG

Cerritos