The good news about our great teens

Suburban residents often tell us we need more good, positive news in our publications.

Truly, by its nature, it's often the bad, criminal or out-of-the ordinary that makes news. Still, we agree with our neighbors that good news is indeed good, especially in these uncertain times. In fact, we believe strongly at the Daily Herald that one of our most significant missions is in reflecting the good in our communities and, in so doing, hoping that a spotlight on the good inspires others and helps make our hometowns better places to live, play and raise our families.

So it is every year at this time that we take great pride in introducing to you our high school Leadership Team honorees.

You got the chance to take a peek at them last Tuesday as we wrote about our reception honoring them and got to know them in more detail in our Friday Neighbor section.

The teens in these groups are awe-inspiring and deserving of our time, attention and plaudits.

Consider Hoffman Estates senior David Perez. He mentors Latino freshmen and helps others with homework. He volunteers at a hospital and organized a teen group to work at his church in order to help save the church some money.

Or there is Reba Mary Varghase, a Grayslake senior who volunteers at a nursing home. She's also worked on restoring a habitat at a local forest preserve, tutors and volunteers at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in North Chicago.

Kelsey Coleman, a Bloomingdale senior, initiated a group designed to help special needs students with school work and with fitting in at Lake Park High School.

Abigail Lynch, a Mount Prospect resident, is the rare sophomore to make our team because of her work on several programs that help mentally disabled students. "I love volunteering and giving back to the community that has given me so much," she told one of our reporters recently.

Then there is Matthew R. Johnson, a West Dundee high school senior. Somehow, in addition to class, he manages to fit in work for Special Olympics, children's holiday shopping, blood center and church soup kitchen work. And that's not even his entire community service list.

He puts the whole idea of service into beautiful perspective. "I truly believe that if everyone gave back their fair share to society," he wrote, "we would have the ability to make the ideal of equality in opportunity a reality."

These young men and women, and those honored alongside them, truly are role models. Role models their friends and acquaintances should emulate. Role models we all should emulate. Their efforts are inspirational and aspirational.

They have touched countless other lives in giving of their time and of themselves. They renew our hope and faith in our future. Truly, each and every one of them, is good news.