Editorial: Local kids show real backbone

Rebecca Malcolm.

The younger generation can often get a pretty hard time by us "oldies".

We see them sitting on their phones, spending hours on social media and are quick to moan about the difficulty of tearing them away from the online world.

Which is why it's that little bit more pleasing to read stories like the two today which show the younger generation getting out there and doing some pretty impressive stuff.

Take the group of Rotorua Girls' High School students who have spend the past eight weeks slogging it out through the Cactus programme - physical training developed by the armed forces programme.

It's all about them learning team work, leadership, resilience and discipline - not in the classroom reading books but by getting out there and doing it.

Those taking part have described it as the hardest thing they've ever had to do, with one saying "mind over matter" is the biggest lesson she's taken away.

It's a programme that's seen them step out of their comfort zone and learn incredible lessons along the way.

The programme brings together schools, police, businesses, community associations and local trusts and culminates in the Longest Day - which includes everything from running, fire training exercises, carrying wooden poles and pulling a truck for 800m.

I'm not sure how many adults would have the strength - both mentally and physically - to carry out such a task, let alone teenagers.

Pair that with the group of Marist St Michael under-12 rugby students who completed a relay from Taupo to Rotorua over the weekend to raise money for an upcoming trip to the Gold Coast.

Not only are the kids gearing up for a pretty impressive overseas trip which sounds like the exact stuff memories are made of, but they're learning all about fundraising along the way.

Looking at these two stories you've got to be pretty impressed with Rotorua's younger generation.