All these articles speculating about teenagers really concern me. If you want to know about teenagers, why don't you ask us? All we want is to be heard.

The reason we listen to punk rock and dress the way we do is so that you will notice us. If you would pay attention to us in the first place, maybe we would have turned out different. We are all going through tough times now . . . we don't know what or who to be. We want to please everyone; have friends, a girl/boy friend, a good family, and a good job. We want to grow up and be successful, but growing up is hard, especially with such a competitive and selective world out there. It's like Darwinisim . . . "Survival of the fittest."

I mean sometimes I think that adults have no idea as to what we are trying to go through, like they forgot what it is like to grow up or something. And they wonder why we are suicidal, why we are angry, why we are the way we are. They wonder why we act so immature . . . because you treat us like that. Because you treat us like we don't know anything. We want to be informed. A lot of us are.

I am 17, watch the news, read the paper, and listen to NPR. I know what is going on. I wish I could vote. I wish I could make a difference.

If you want to know, just ask us. Find someone who cares and ask him or her about it. Find a teenager who wants to be heard and let them contribute. Honestly, adults don't know everything, and neither do we, but if we work together, maybe we can put the pieces together a little easier and close the gap.

Kate Sadler

Fruit Heights