The children and teens who gobble the most attention in media and in culture are the ones who act out. Reality shows send 911 nannies into homes where youngsters scream and bite. And teens tune out with smirky attitudes and obsessions with video games and angry music.

These media and cultural images belie what most adults know about kids. Some are born sweet and remain that way through adulthood. Some possess great insight and compassion. And yes, some experience really bad patches. But the majority of them ultimately come through OK.

Rates of youth crime, smoking and teen pregnancy have skewed downward in recent years, while volunteerism, family connections and involvement with community and church groups have skewed upward.

But it’s hard to accept this, because adult stereotypes about kids remain so powerful. We see what we look for. Countering the bad kid message takes time, energy and commitment.

The Chase Youth Commission has that commitment. Annually, it publicly recognizes the awesome kids among us. Tuesday, dozens of young people, culled from more than 2,500 nominees, were singled out for special recognition. These young people started programs for people with disabilities, fought bullying, raised awareness about the suffering in Darfur, organized a penny drive for a hospital in Bangladesh. They lived life outside their iPods and created realities longer lasting than the most exciting video games.

If you need a timeout from all the bad news about today’s kids, read the Chase Youth Awards nominating letters. Thousands of young people are out there doing the work of the future. Be awed.