Winning essay for write up- 1st session

Here is the essay from Rob Fields of Liverpool, who won the right to represent New York in San Diego at the Annual National Convention in September. The topic was "This Generation Has A Rendevous With Destiny" by FDR.

The young people in my generation have many issues to explore in terms of our destiny. Older generations have criticized them with words like "lazy", "unfocused", and "selfish". I would disagree with those who believe any of those alecations as fact and offer reasons why this generation of youth has a " Rendevous with Destiny". In a world increasingly motivated by technology and media, this generation will harness these tools and create a better more connected world.
The media impacts our lives daily whether it is outwardly apperent or not. While the media perceives this generation as thoughtless, controlable, or uninformed because we watch reality tv instead of CNN, but the truth is many of us are so saturated with news from other sources that when the the evening news comes on, it's already "old news"! The internet provides such a mass amount of information in a very consise package that technology savy people (including a whole generation) absorb and process current events so quickly it can be percieved as lazy.
Tomorrow leaders will use the internet to further human connections. Thousands of young people have been creating a networking grid of friends, family, and business connections through websites like "My Space", and "Facebook". These social sites allow this generation to connect with and thousands of peers with the click of a button. It is no doubt that the potential of internet networking has yet reached it pinnacle.
With the power of the high speed media at our fingertips, this generation's leaders has a greater advantage than past ones. Perceptions about work ethic and attitude are misplaced as lazy and uncaring, but many of our strengths lie in a world foreign to our parents. This generation has a rendevous with destiny not because of the war, or gas prices, but because our leaders will come from tech savy "kids" that will bring the world closer together one click at a time.