“Teenagers today…!” is a lament I hear often, bemoaning what some see as the waning work ethic, social awareness, and common courtesy among young adults today.

But I would challenge anyone making those critiques to pause and take a closer look. It’s easy to generalize about an entire generation and, in doing so, miss, or ignore, the young people who defy those negative assumptions and add real value to their communities.

In 2024, thanks to an initial $50,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the City of Mesa launched the Mesa Youth Climate Action Fund (MYCAF), which sponsors student-led initiatives that serve the community and focus on environmental challenges while supporting Mesa’s climate goals. 

Students write and submit their own grant proposals addressing environmental concerns to the city for consideration. 

At Red Mountain High School, an aspiring activist has not only applied for but earned a MYCAF grant – twice.

Josephine Smeets began her MYCAF journey the summer between her freshman and sophomore years in 2024, when she proposed Share the Shade. 

This initiative evaluated areas of Mesa with limited shade and offered to plant trees, along with providing educational materials and supplies to help residents care for them. With support from the Girl Up Red Mountain Club and the expertise of the Environmental Club, Josie oversaw the planting of 49 trees throughout the city. 

Trees were provided to individuals living on the west side of Mesa as well as to a number of schools throughout the district.

This year, as president of Girl Up Red Mountain, Josie again applied for a MYCAF grant for a Rewear Revolution Clothing Swap initiative. Not only was her idea approved, but MYCAF increased the amount she requested, awarding her a $5,000 grant.

The premise behind Josie’s initiative this year is to provide an alternative to “fast fashion” with its personal and environmental costs while encouraging the “thrifting” trend in fashion.

The idea is simple: give clothes, get clothes. 

Josie and the Girl Up Red Mountain club used grant money to create a pop-up, boutique-style thrift store. They created their base inventory by running a quick clothing drive with Red Mountain faculty and purchasing gently used items from Goodwill to fill gaps. 

Community and school members were then invited to donate clothing and swap pieces. For each item brought in as a donation, “shoppers” received a ticket. Those tickets could then be used to shop for items in the club’s pop-up thrift boutique.

Their September pop-up dates have already passed, but one more date is coming up: 9 a.m.-noon Oct. 18 on the Red Mountain High School cafeteria patio.

This is your chance to support Mesa youth as they flex their community service and activism muscles, helping the environment while providing a fun, sustainable way to refresh wardrobes.

If your closets and dressers are already cleaned out, don’t worry, you can still earn tickets to shop by donating feminine hygiene products or donating to the official Girl Up program, a United Nations Foundation initiative that supports girls’ education, health, and safety worldwide.

Clearly, the phrase “Teenagers Today!” doesn’t have to be a lament, but rather, a celebration. There are more teens than you realize who want to make a positive difference in the world around them. 

They are just looking for an accessible path that channels their passion and energy into meaningful service for their community at large.

Rachel Cupryk is an AP English teacher at Red Mountain High School and the Girl Up sponsor.