Too many times, young people today are written off as only interested in what is on their Instagram feed or too worried about the next text message to do anything useful. But the cheerleaders of Hugo High School proved that this is a wrong assumption by taking time to come downtown and pick up trash and debris without any complaints - only smiles.

Cheerleaders are opinion leaders in high school, and the example the Hugo cheerleaders set Friday afternoon is terrific. If popular high school cheerleaders can pick up trash and help make Hugo a clean city, other students will want to do so as well.

So it is our turn to offer three cheers to the Hugo cheerleaders. You are excellent examples of young people who are not only talented but community-minded. Both the parents and teachers of these exceptional young ladies should also be congratulated.