A Celebration Of Seattle Youth

A 10-day celebration of Seattle youth kicked off yesterday when business and community bigwigs and the mayor met to confirm their belief in the children of today.

Cheri Harris Smith, KidsDay program director, noted the improved emphasis on teen activities this year. She said ``one of the best programs for teens ever'' was yesterday's Broad Street Festival, which included, among other free activities, a concert featuring the Hit Men and the Young Fresh Fellows at the Flag Pavilion Stage.

Mike Siegel, KING radio personality, stressed the importance of activism. He urged people to take the time to help, to make a difference. He also touched on the recurring theme of the day: Seattle is something special.

The people of Seattle have a wholesomeness about them, he said, a desire to do good and support not only their environment, but their children. Siegel, who is fairly new to Seattle, said he has never before experienced our caring nature.

Mayor Norm Rice spoke of continuing the spirit of helping the community and caring for our children after the KidsDay festival ends. He has been working with the city, and will continue to do so, to organize more safe places for teens to go at night, he said.

One long-term plan is to set up a permanent teen center at Seattle Center. Rice, carrying on the theme of the day, quoted Abraham Lincoln to express his belief in children and the fact that they are the ones who will determine the future: ``A child is a person who is going to carry on what you've started. The fate of humanity is in (their) hands.''

KidsDay 1990 is Seattle's sixth celebration of youth. Activities usually are free or discounted for youth.

At first I thought this press conference would have presidential-press-conference formality. Then I started imagining it as only a publicity stunt, a chance for Seattle business leaders to get together and build up their images and promote their own individual companies.

However, as the conference went on, I began to see the organizers of KidsDay as a group of friends with a common interest, a genuine caring about the quality of life of today's youth. I saw them as people who care enough to try to put things back into the community in order to build a better future for the children of today.

The trite saying that the children are our future is all too true, and if community-sponsored activities like KidsDay continue, then the future will most definitely be bright.

Maya Malysiak is a senior at University Prep High School.