My faith in Generation Z was buoyed this week by an opportunity to help judge two South Sound college scholarship contests, one sponsored by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation and the other by Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty.

Through essays, detailed scholarship applications and interviews, I caught a glimpse of hard times and high hopes, adversity and achievement, dreams and drama playing out for a generation born from 1995 to 2012. They are 23 million strong and coming of age in a world of deadly school gun violence, disruptive climate change, soaring costs of higher education, nuclear proliferation and so much more.

Granted my sample size was just a few more than 100. But I came away convinced that, despite the challenges they face, they are ready to step boldly into adulthood. I met a wannabe astronaut, several aspiring bioengineers, future social workers and architects and design engineers. I hope some…