Over the past few days, The Royal Gazette has had the particular pleasure of highlighting some outstanding teenagers.Kaelyn Kastle, who at the age of 17, wrote ‘Why It Matters’ which promotes the new wing at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, and Latonia Fray who is the 2013 Outstanding Teen, are just two of those we have featured recently.We have told the stories of many more in our Young Achievers column.Amid all the doom on the Island, the gang issues, the unemployment, the economic problems it is heartening to see that there are such amazing young people in Bermuda — and, of course, there are many more that this newspaper never gets to hear about.So why is it that some young people tread the path towards goodness while others veer away, lose focus and falter.A lot of it will be environmental — their surroundings, the people who most influence and nurture them, perhaps an inspirational teacher. Some will be luck, or bad luck, and the lack of a positive role model.Two great leaders made two great quotes about children.Ghandi said: “If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children.”And Nelson Mandela said: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”Bermuda must therefore lay bare its soul. It must invest time and money into our young children — and that is not just from the point of view of government. It is all of us if we want to see our young achieve.On such a small island, the effects of neglect are magnified because they become all too visible. The effects of offering a caring and helpful hand could also be just as visible.n Do you want to Tweet with me? Follow me: https://twitter.com/jeremydeacon1