Letter: Barrington is filled with caring young people

Posted 2/20/18

To the editor:

I write in response to last week’s letter diagnosing Barrington youth with “a serious case of Affluenza.”  

Those who’ve grown up in town are …

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Letter: Barrington is filled with caring young people

Posted

To the editor:

I write in response to last week’s letter diagnosing Barrington youth with “a serious case of Affluenza.”  

Those who’ve grown up in town are familiar with the widespread misperception that our schools are overflowing with “spoiled rich kids from Barrington.” It reflects a misunderstanding of our town and our children.

The label is wrong because it ignores the fact that there are children and families in our town of modest means and some who struggle just to get by. Our educators know this, as do those who run the youth sports teams and youth activities. These groups quietly provide scholarships to cover what would otherwise be prohibitive fees.

We also have some very fortunate students from families who could be fairly called upper middle class or affluent. That alone is not enough to condemn them.  

The real question is whether the children in our town care about, and care for, those who may be less fortunate than themselves. 

The answer is that our schools are filled with wonderful caring young people. The recent performance by the Unified Theatre group is one example — that group, and the Unified Athletics teams, combine talents of teenagers both with, and without disabilities to help to dissolve typical barriers that can make some feel left out.  There are many other examples of teens in our schools who look beyond themselves to make a positive difference. These include those in the Diversity Club, in the Environmental Club, in the Gay/Straight Alliance, in the Gender Equity and Awareness Club, in the Interact Club, the LifeSmarts club, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and on and on.

Those who believe our youth are just “spoiled rich kids” would be surprised if they could see the photographs of our teens on mission trips with our faith communities serving the poor and disabled in places like Jamaica and Maine. If they could meet some of the teenagers I know who have helped build houses for the homeless, or who work in food pantries every week, or in soup kitchens feeding the hungry, they would understand. If they could see our Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts raising money for the less fortunate or collecting canned goods, those detractors would better appreciate our youth. 

The next time you drive by that Mobile Loaves and Fishes truck parked in front of one of our places of worship, remember that it will soon be filled with sandwiches made by our youth, or with warm clothing collected by them, and on its way to those in need. 

We, and our children, are fortunate to live in this community. For the most part, our community recognizes its good fortune, and many have conveyed the lesson to our teens that, “to whom much is given, much is asked”.  That is, because we are so fortunate, we have a greater obligation to share our gifts. 

In spite of what others might think of them, many of our young people in Barrington have learned that lesson well.

Very truly yours,

Michael W. Carroll

Barrington

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.