We often expect students to volunteer for projects in their own community. They might do it for class credit, or for volunteer experience on their college transcripts. They might do it because they feel a passion for cleaning up and making a difference in their own communities.

But when they interact with other communities, it’s more often in the spirit of competition (even if it’s friendly competition.) We rarely see kids reaching out to their larger regional community. Even more rarely do we see them helping a completely separate community.

But that’s exactly what we saw last week when students from Symmes Valley traveled to Proctorville to help cleanup the river area and repair playground equipment.

It’s even more commendable that these kids took time out of their spring break to give back to their neighbors.

We often complain about kids today not being active enough, referencing both the sedentary nature of many digital activities and their disconnection from their families and communities. It’s hardly a new complaint. Before video games and mobile devices, people worried about the impact of television on our kids. The classic film “The Music Man” played on parents’ fears about the danger of activities like shooting pool and using slang.

The complaints are hardly fresh, but the inspiration from the kids in Justin Berry’s government class is. Once again they remind us that, despite the worries of the older generation, our kids can be involved, concerned and, given the right guidance, can make a positive difference.

We commend the students from Symmes Valley, and all of our area youth who are looking past the negative attitudes of others and actively working to make our communities places we can all be proud to call home.