(UNDATED) In these turbulent, uncertain times we could all use a dose of good old-fashioned optimism, confidence and belief in a better world. Mine came by way of agreeing to evaluate the senior projects of our local public school.

At Orcas Island High School, each senior works on a paper and related hands-on project throughout the year. The grand finale is the oral presentation of their completed work to a panel of teachers and mere mortals from the community. I was asked to review four projects.

Maddie took on the subject of the genocide in Darfur, using it as a lens through which to assess U.S. immigration policy.

Anton was concerned about the environmental impact of discarded batteries and other obsolete electronic products. He worked at designing and building a more environmentally benign battery.

Ryan watched the footage of Katrina and wondered about the rebuilding process in the wake of natural disasters, particularly among the urban and rural poor. He bought a software program and set out to design and build a scale model of an affordable replacement home.

Samantha loved languages and drawing. She explored the general themes found in coming-of-age stories around the world, then wrote and illustrated her own coming-of-age story in French.

This is my first year reviewing the projects and I was teamed up with a veteran, Cathy, who has volunteered for 15 years. She reads all the senior projects, not just our four. When I asked why, her answer was revealing: “Every year it makes me hopeful about our future.”

I confess this mystified me and struck me as a little over the top.

Generally, what I know about this generation is gathered from sociological studies or from reading the news — sources that often lead me to conclude that today’s kids are spoiled, self-centered, illiterate unmotivated slackers. Kind of like the professor who said to a student, “I can’t tell if you are ignorant or apathetic,” and the student who replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care!”

You get my drift.

But what I found in these students is the kind of naive energetic enthusiasm I felt when I was younger. They are overflowing with that good old can-do attitude and curiosity; you know, the kind of right stuff that is the genius of our little social experiment called America.

I might have expected projects designed to propel the student to a lucrative, successful, career path. Instead, I found in each a desire to use their talents to serve other people.

I thought the “whatever” cynicism of today’s entertainment culture would have stamped out the last vestiges of sincerity from today’s students. Instead, I saw that same I-can-make-the-world-a-better-place spirit that fuels all successful cultures and gives goose bumps to parents who want to believe that the goodness and greatness to which we once aspired is still alive.

I was particularly struck by the mistakes each made and how they responded to them. They were honest, not defensive, and benefited from their missteps by making the necessary adjustments.

Anton’s first batteries didn’t work at all; all I could imagine was a horrified family huddled in the house waiting for the garage to blow up.

Ryan underestimated the size of the architectural project he had undertaken and scaled it down from a house to a garage.

Samantha realized that while coming-of-age stories are common in every culture, there was not as much published research about them as she had expected, so she was stuck reading anthologies.

Maddie’s Darfur project included raising community awareness, and she hit all the complications of organizing and publicizing a big public event while trying to be a student at the same time.

In each case, their ambitions exceeded their grasp, but they were not deterred and fought back to finish their projects.

They could not possibly have learned as much from these projects as I did. Whatever discouragement and pessimism I carried into this process has been countered by the buoyancy and good will of some motivated teens on our little island.

I suspect they are all around you too. Discover their dreams and aspirations, and be refreshed by the tonic of hope bottled up inside of them.

(Dick Staub is the author of “The Culturally Savvy Christian” and the host of The Kindlings Muse (http://www.thekindlings.com). His blog can be read at http://www.dickstaub.com)