I had a run-in with Mike Chitwood earlier this week.

No, I’m not under arrest. At least not yet.

A few weeks ago, Chitwood had asked me to judge an essay contest the
Upper Darby Police Department was holding for township schoolkids.

I tried not to joke with him about asking me to be a judge in a writing
contest. What would I know about writing? I edit a newspaper.

Chitwood is serious about getting the community involved in the fight
against crime. And he wants to enlist young people, so often the victims
of that kind of street violence, in the battle.

He asked middle school kids to put pen to paper in detailing, “How I
Would End Youth Violence in My Community.”

The results were very impressive. You can read the winning entries here. I reviewed more than 150 entries,
along with fellow judges Detective Capt. George Rhoades Jr., and Maureen
Plagge, Upper Darby School District supervisor of language arts.

Wednesday night the three winners were given their prizes at the Upper
Darby Township Council meeting. I was there for the occasion.

I couldn’t have been happier. I remarked to the council and those in
attendance that I am always asked by parents and school administrators
how young people can make it into the newspaper.

I told them that was easy. In fact, Chitwood does a very good job of
giving us stories about young people every day. It got a couple of
knowing laughs.

The truth is, I have to remind myself and my staff just about every day
that there is another side to that story, one that too often does not
get told.

So it was my pleasure to be on hand to honor the accomplishments of
three young writers from Upper Darby Schools.

First place prize went to Tajay McLeon, of Beverly Hills Middle School.
In second was Valerie Mertin, of Drexel Hill Middle School. The third
place winner was Maite Guachichullca of St. Laurence School.

There are good stories out there about young people. Some times they
even come from the police.