Note to readers • This is part of a collaborative project between The Salt Lake Tribune and the Highland High School Rambler. Amplify Utah is publishing the work through its ongoing partnership with the Tribune to elevate diverse perspectives in local media through student journalism. Read more about these young Utahns’ experiences here.
Highland High School senior George Smith wakes up to the news of the world on his Instagram. On any morning, he might see that the Earth’s temperature is shattering heat records, another school shooting happened at an elementary school, and that the closure of the U.S. Department of Education is imminent.
It’s only 7 a.m. and he feels like his world is already coming to an end.
“I am 17 years old, so I can’t even vote, and it is taxing to just watch this all happen,” Smith said.
As a part of Generation Z, Smith’s behavior is normal for someone his age. “Many teenagers are more aware of and affected by global issues such as climate change, mass shootings, and political instability. This constant exposure to troubling news can create a sense of hopelessness and fear,” according to the Anxiety Institute, a mental health treatment center based on the East coast.
Smith is representative of an aspect of today’s youth – they care. Deeply. With all of the problems in the world at their fingertips, no generation has ever seen the world’s warts so easily and so consistently. This leads to fear, but for some, that fear also leads to an overwhelming desire to make a difference.
While many older generations see Gen Z as lazy, Smith believes they care more than people think. Having instant access to world events has inspired Smith to get more involved in his community. He cares about people from all over the world because he feels like he wakes up every morning hearing their stories.
“I see these people who need help, and I want to make people feel appreciated and recognize the beauty within everyone,” Smith said.
Not only is Smith aware of the world around him, he finds himself truly caring about strangers. He has never been to the Gaza Strip, but he feels a sense of loss because of the tragedies that have unfolded there. He was not present during the Los Angeles wildfires, but his heart aches for the people who had to leave their lives behind.
Being aware has made him more willing to work to help people who might need assistance.
In a study done by Indiana University Indianapolis about empathy in young Americans, they found that empathy has been on the rise since 2008. This is partly due to more information and the ability to see victims in their struggles.
Smith helps with food drives, makes blankets for elementary schools, and delivers meals to homeless people every Sunday. He is also the president of the Key Club, which is a student-led organization that focuses on service, leadership and character development.
“Many teenagers I see at school are more in tune and want to make a difference. In my generation, we really weren’t as proactive as this generation,” Smith’s mother Mindy Smith said.
Smith follows his mother’s footsteps in trying to help. Mindy Smith is the family support coordinator at Highland. She sees firsthand how much this generation cares.
Mindy Smith teaches a new Kindness Class at Highland, where students engage in service around the community. What started out as a class of 10 people quickly grew to 17 as students heard about the class.
Service classes and projects make Smith feel good, but they don’t take away the worry. Every morning, the next headlines hit him, and nothing hits harder to him than the constant news of climate change. Gen Z has not been around long enough to cause the problem, but they have to live with and try to repair the past generation’s mistakes, he said.
“I would say my main concern is the environment,” Smith said. “We are dealing with global warming. But I am also worried about racism and discrimination and so many different categories. I feel like that is why we are so united; we are ready to fight it.”
