Let's celebrate the class of 2023. I'm so f^%*ing proud of you.

Author's Note: While there are similar trends across the country, this article will focus on what I see in my home state of Colorado.

So there I was, talking to this amazing human being who also happened to work for a national media outlet. We had just watched a live debate delivered by teenagers from all over the country.

"These kids are amazing," she said.

"They are." I agreed. "And there are hundreds of thousands just like them all around the country."

She nodded, perhaps considering the idea, perhaps dismissing it altogether.

But it inspired me to write this article.

Contrary to public opinion, the stories of parents and what you often see in the media, teenagers are AMAZING.

Are they always amazing? Of course not. None of us are. Do they sometimes make stupid mistakes? Are they addicted to their cell phones? Are they disengaged, arrogant, and consumed with themselves? Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Guess what? So were you. So was I. Except for the cell phone thing, every generation has its own series of addictions ranging from drugs to video games to rock and roll. Just ask your parents. We were all selfish assholes.

And the national focus on their faults deprives us all of the extraordinary opportunity to see who these young people are. This year alone, students of mine have been accepted into exceptional universities, they've traveled to New York City to participate in a live debate event at Newsweek , they've respectfully challenged authority, they've won art shows, they've protested for their rights to a safe and peaceful education and they have dealt with more trauma through the pandemic than someone their age should ever be forced to do.

For my graduating seniors, this is their first "normal" year of high school. 9th grade was ended early by COVID. 10th grade was spent in cohorts or online, isolated to keep us all safe. 11th grade returned to a normal schedule with masks and emergency procedures still very much in place. This year marked a return to "normalcy" whatever that means in a post-COVID world.

But the scars remain.

Yet, if you consider just a handful of the issues that teenagers are confronted with, you can't help but admire them.

1. Mental Health Crisis and Drug Abuse: In 2019, Colorado experienced the highest number of suicides in recorded history and this number has only increased since the pandemic. According to The CDC, the mountain west as a region continues to experience the highest rates of suicide in the country. According to Mental Health Colorado, we rank dead last in the nation for teenagers with substance abuse and addiction issues. How many teenagers get to the point where they can admit to themselves that they are addicts? And even if they can, what help is available for them? Schools continue to struggle with helping students find treatment for drug and alcohol addiction and with the introduction of Fentanyl, drug use has become even more deadly. While there are resources finally allocated to address both mental health and drug abuse, for so many families, it's too little, too late.
2. Mass testing in schools: Including the PSAT / SAT, state requirements, and district testing, my school has had 12 days this school year dedicated to standardized testing. Given that there are only 163 student contact days in the calendar, this represents roughly 7% of all school days spent testing. And most of that testing makes absolutely no impact on your life. You don't need it to graduate. You don't get credit for it. There are few incentives to do your best. Put yourself in their place. While it may not seem like much, imagine sitting in a room all day taking tests for 18 days (7% of 260 work days) out of your standard work year. These tests don't qualify you for a raise or a promotion. They don't count toward your performance review. They are used as a measure for your manager and his bosses so that they can improve as managers. But the managers don't get to make the exams. They are made by an outside organization that "specializes" in making tests. You take the tests and THEY are held accountable for YOUR results. Seem crazy? Welcome to standardized testing in the 21st century.
3. The never-ending influence of social media. In case you've been in a coma for the last dozen or so years, the influence of social media on teens is nothing short of toxic. The impacts are depression and anxiety accompanied by feelings of isolation and hopelessness. Tik-Tok Challenges have cost our schools millions of dollars and have created a generation consumed with likes, follows, and standing out from the crowd however possible. There is no end in sight to this madness.

My point is simple. Teenagers today deal with so much more than any other generation. And in the face of ongoing challenges. They rise to the occasion again and again.

Across the country, it's graduation season. This year, I have one simple request: focus more on the card than the gift. Let the teenagers in your life know that you see them and believe in them. Let them know what you appreciate about them. Tell them that you are there for them if they ever need an adult to talk to. And finally, let them know how f^%*ing proud you are of them.