Editorial: America’s youth shows maturity

Saturday, July 15, 2006 | 7:49 a.m.

Sifted from the piles of depressing media stories in recent weeks was heartening news that college graduates in record numbers are forgoing fat paychecks to serve others.

Young people are flocking in record numbers to national service organizations such as the Peace Corps and Teach for America, which puts talented young graduates to work in underserved schools across the nation, USA Today reported.

The spike may be attributable in part to 9/11, the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and other events that struck an emotional chord with young adults who value meaningful careers and richer lives over high salaries, one expert said.

"There's a lot of need in this world, and it wasn't doing anything in my heart to help make the rich people be richer," Elizabeth Jones, 26, of Portland, Ore., noted.

Jones traded her corporate banking job for a stint with the Peace Corps in Panama.

We also applaud the likes of Joseph Almeida, 23, a Teach for America teacher in New York City, who told USA Today that young people seek a cure for feeling helpless in a troubled world.

"We have a venue to make a difference, and the best thing about it is we are not alone," he said. "We're part of a team, and I know that we're collectively working to impact something."