THE recent young acts on Britain's Got Talent acted as a positive role model for young people.
Despite the bad press teenagers receive,especially after all the recent knife crime,we shouldn't paint them all with the same brush as there are still some who make good use of their time.
Break dancer George Sampson and singer Andrew Johnston are to be commended for their determination to fulfil their dreams, despite being bullied for their 'different hobbies', and hopefully may encourage more victims of bullying to speak out, as bullies thrive on silence.
It took courage to appear on TV in front of millions of viewers,so really the bullies are the weak ones, as they use their own low self-esteem and insecurities to belittle and humiliate others.
George has had to tackle difficulties in life but instead of moping about, stealing mobile phones or mugging old ladies, he has been using his talent to fund his hobby and he has also helped Andrew to gain confidence.
They have shown maturity beyond their years in developing their own talents, instead of being influenced by others following like sheep.
They seem to respect others, too, and have probably emerged stronger as people and are more sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.
Part of growing up is accepting that everyone has their own hobbies and we don't all have to be the same.
The teenage dance troupes looked like other teenagers but the only difference is they are using their hobby to give them a 'buzz', instead of turning to alcohol, drugs or cigarettes for a temporary,feel-good factor and as a result are experiencing longer lasting happiness from positive feedback.
All young people can excel in something, whether it is sport, dancing, music,craft or drama, among other things, and hopefully this will encourage more to discover their own talents and hopefully, in time,we may then see a reduction in youngsters turning to crime.
T CAMPBELL,
Fairdale Gardens, Hayes
