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It’s time to throw away the stereotype that this generation of kids are lazy and attached to their phones.

This summer has been full of kids being out and about in the parks, at the swimming pool, or working out at a local gym. On Thursday, the town was buzzing with activity more than usual as the Austin cycling team was holding a practice at Wildwood Park while the More Than Pink event was wrapping up with a 5K run at nearby Todd Park.

I can tell you that it was a hot and muggy night as I broke a sweat just walking around the trails, but that didn’t stop any of the kids who were on the move. The cyclists, who will be featured in a story next week, were going full speed through the mountain bike trails without a hint of fear, and the girls, who were in grade three through six, running or walking in the 5K were giving it their all as they fought back sweat and fatigue.

I don’t know how many of our readers have run 5 kilometers before, but I promise you it’s not easy, especially when the temperatures creep near 90 degrees on a humid August night with no breeze.

Regardless of the heat, I didn’t see any complaining from any of the kids on the move Thursday and none of them were reaching for their phones. The confidence these kids gained from finishing the job will follow them into the school year and they now know that they are capable of persevering under pressure. 

That is a priceless and incredibly valuable lesson.

It was a refreshing sight that shows that the coming generation may not be that different from previous generations after all.