Talk about a big-league blowup.
Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton allegedly hurled a series of expletives at a pair of teenage girls during Tuesday night&#8217;s game, leaving one of the 16-year-olds in tears after they showed support for Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham while wearing XX-XY Athletics gear.
Independent journalist Brandi Kruse broke the jaw-dropping story after spotting the distressed teens in the arena. She interviewed the girls and first reported their account.
The girls told Kruse that Keaton stormed up to them when they were seated in the stands holding signs supporting Cunningham and unleashed a wild, unprovoked tirade, branding the teenagers &#8220;f***ing insane.&#8221;
&#8220;I’ve never been yelled at like that,&#8221; one of the shaken girls said afterward. While she&#8217;d dealt with criticism online before, she said being confronted in person by an adult she later learned was a team owner left her shaken. &#8220;I thought she was going to be nice &#8230; then she started screaming at us and cussing at us.&#8221;
According to one of the teens, Keaton initially approached them calmly before dropping bizarre religious jabs like, &#8220;Jesus loves everyone &#8230; I hope Jesus can forgive you for what sin you’ve done,&#8221; before making a gesturing motion to her head and telling them to &#8220;stop pulling this.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Footage obtained by <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> shows the young Sophie Cunningham fans also face a confrontation with a grown man and a woman with him. The man shouted &#8220;take the trash out&#8221; to arena staff, in reference to the girls and the other supporters with them. <a href="https://t.co/0jaSjUmMbn">https://t.co/0jaSjUmMbn</a> <a href="https://t.co/MjwfUyHmb4">pic.twitter.com/MjwfUyHmb4</a>
— Jackson Thompson (@JackThompsonFOX) <a href="https://x.com/JackThompsonFOX/status/2082599355446374911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
When the girls tried to report the hostile confrontation, they said arena security brushed them off, telling Kruse that if they had a complaint, they should just &#8220;email the front office.&#8221; Other nearby fans reportedly turned their backs and refused to step in, even while sitting near hypocrisy-laden signs reading &#8220;No Hate in these United States.&#8221;
The teens said they only realized who had berated them after the fact.
&#8220;It&#8217;s just sad,&#8221; one of the teens said, calling out the blatant double standard. &#8220;She&#8217;s also a woman &#8230; maybe they should work on being more kind to people, even though our opinions differ.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Last night, <a href="https://x.com/seattlestorm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@seattlestorm</a> co-owner Celeste Keaton cursed out two teen girls for wearing <a href="https://x.com/xx_xyathletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@xx_xyathletics</a> shirts, calling them &quot;f*cking insane.&quot; One of them was left in tears. I tried to get security involved and was told I should email the front office. <a href="https://t.co/Qi8TcfRtYB">pic.twitter.com/Qi8TcfRtYB</a>
&mdash; Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) <a href="https://x.com/BrandiKruse/status/2082500178226155685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a statement to Fox, the Storm provided an apology: &#8220;We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night&#8217;s game. We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.&#8221;
The ugly court-side harassment overshadowed the <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/49476986/clark-32-point-night-fuels-fever-latest-100-point-explosion">action on the hardwood</a>, where the visiting Indiana Fever beat the Storm 105-95. Indiana’s high-octane offense made league history by dropping more than 100 points for the fourth consecutive matchup. Caitlin Clark led the charge with a blazing 32-point performance alongside Kelsey Mitchell&#8217;s 28, dropping Seattle to a grim 6-24 record and extending their painful losing streak to seven games.
So much for the WNBA&#8217;s whole &#8220;inclusive&#8221; vibe!

Indiana Fever v Seattle Storm

WNBA Co-Owner Accused Of Cursing Out Teen Girls Over XX-XY Shirts

Abuse

Gender

jennifer sey

Jesus

Jesus Christ

Seattle

Seattle Storm

Sophie Cunningham

Sports

Teenagers

teens

Washington

WNBA

Women's Basketball

Women's sports

xx-xy athletics

I had just left dinner with friends in northwest Washington, D.C., last Friday. After we said goodbye, I started walking alone through Le Droit Park toward the nearest metro station. Within minutes, the sirens started. 
Several police cars appeared almost immediately — and almost as quickly, the street was filled as black teenagers flooded in from several directions at once. Some walked, others sprinted, and teens carrying blaring speakers took over the street. Hundreds of teens packed the roadway.
I asked a few of the kids running past what was happening. They yelled obscenities at me and kept going. Soon I realized that I had found myself in the middle of a &#8220;Teen Takeover,&#8221; the social media trend that that goes viral for the wrong reason every few weeks. It&#8217;s this generation&#8217;s version of a flash mob, and this version almost always ends in violence. Just earlier this year, a &#8220;Teen Takeover&#8221; in D.C. took over the internet with footage of numerous teens trashing a Chipotle, throwing metal chairs across the restaurant. 
 I moved to the edge of one of the groups and walked with them. An 18-year-old girl named Mekala told me the event was coordinated by &#8220;DPR.&#8221; I asked what the letters stood for and she didn&#8217;t know, only that &#8220;DPR&#8221; puts these events together for teens to “come out and have fun.” She said the organizers reach the kids through Instagram.
It turns out DPR is the District of Columbia’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The teens I spoke to that night said they were there for the government-organized event.
Its <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dcdpr">Instagram</a> account identifies it as a government organization that organizes &#8220;fun programs and events.&#8221; One of those events, according to the department’s <a href="https://dpr.dc.gov/page/late-night-hype">website</a>, is called Late Night Hype. It&#8217;s a program it created in 2021 to give teens and young adults “safe, high-energy spaces to connect after hours.” The government office had planned a Late Night Hype event at the Banneker Rec Center Fields just north of Le Droit Park, according to its <a href="https://latenighthype.splashthat.com/">online schedule of events</a>.
Attendees knew what was coming. A young Muslim man in a keffiyeh named Janar joined us as we walked. I asked him what the kids usually do at these DPR events. He answered without softening it: “All these n*gg*s out here are wildin&#8217;.&#8221; He described how the teens rob each other and take each other’s shoes and clothes. Mekala said that at most of these events the teens “go overboard” and take it to “the next level.” When I asked what that looked like, Janar said, “You gonna see.”
We moved through alleys, dodging police cars and leaving spots fast because fights kept starting. Mekala said DPR calls these “late night hype” events for teens and families to hang out and have good fun. The signs, she said, are made on the spot to get “experience with graffiti.&#8221;
As both Mekala and Janar warned, fights broke out. I moved closer to one of the fights to record it. As I approached to get footage, everyone was running the other way. Seconds later, I <a href="https://x.com/leonasalinas19/status/2080857020689764366?s=20">witnessed</a> a masked teenager fire off a gunshot. I stopped for a second. The masked ones ran and the rest of the crowd continued faster with them. 
I had gotten Mekala&#8217;s phone number and was able to reconnect. 
“This is why we can’t have fun because they want to act a fool,&#8221; she told me. Mekala told me the area was under a youth curfew. No one cared. She said these kids “target other people.” Then she said something more direct. She has watched, on multiple occasions at these same events, kids shooting at each other or jumping kids. She said it was commonplace.
I asked several teenagers in ski masks why they covered their faces. One said, “I can’t say too much.” Another said, “They gonna lock us up.” 
A witness near me claimed the police had “shot people,” which almost certainly didn&#8217;t happen. What happened was pepper balls after the gunfire and after more fights started inside the running crowd. The teenagers stampeded in short bursts with no clear provocation, even with National Guard standing in view, and they kept doing it.
I asked an officer for comment. She said she could not give details but confirmed an investigation into the discharge of a weapon was open and that numerous shots had been fired. I told her I had a video of one of the shots. She told me to submit it through their information page so I could be listed as a witness. At that moment, they had no other footage of the shots. While I spoke, other officers dealt with teenagers yelling obscenities at them and stretched caution tape to protect the crime scene.
I gave authorities my statement and left. On the way out, I watched officers arrest the person I had seen fire the first shot. No further official information has been released. 
What the Department of Parks and Recreation frames under the guise of an opportunity for teenagers to gather and have fun instead fosters a place for teens to commit crimes. They all knew what was going to happen. 
This was not an isolated night. As Heather Mac Donald has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-260524">written</a> in The Daily Wire, the same trend is popping up from Chicago to Florida, and repeated outbreaks inside Washington itself. Large groups of urban teenagers, often coordinated online, take over public space and the mass violence follows with enough regularity that participants treat it as expected.
According to the teenagers who attend these events regularly, the violence happens at nearly every single one. I wonder what they would say to the children who have been murdered by others at these takeovers, whose behavior they condone. 
There are Late Night Hype events planned for the next three Fridays this summer. The Department of Parks and Recreation did not respond to a request for comment.

D.C. Teen Takeover

I Went To A ‘Teen Takeover.’ It Ended With Gunshots, And Was Put On By The Government.

Shooting

Teen-Takeover

Washington D.C.

A North Carolina man is accused of torturing his 19-year-old girlfriend for months before she was found dead inside an apartment, according to court documents.  
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police responded to a 911 call on May 1 after Thomaz Kenon Hamilton, 24, reported that his girlfriend, Isabella Mary Alexandria Stroupe, was unresponsive, <a href="https://fox11online.com/news/nation-world/man-faces-murder-rape-charges-after-19-year-old-girlfriend-allegedly-tortured-report-torture-charlotte-north-carolina-death-homicide-investigation-killed-murdered-raped-sex-sexual-assault-blood-true-crime">according</a> to Fox 11 News. 
Officers found Stroupe dead inside an apartment in east Charlotte.  <a href="https://www.wbtv.com/2026/05/06/19-year-old-woman-found-dead-charlotte-apartment-was-tortured-months-affidavit-says/">According</a> to an affidavit cited by WBTV, she was wearing “minimal clothing” and was allegedly tied to a bed with a tow strap.
Investigators said Stroupe suffered multiple traumatic injuries, including broken and fractured bones as well as stab wounds. Her death was ruled a homicide. 
Hamilton, who authorities said was dating and living with Stroupe, allegedly told investigators they had been having sex when she suffered a heart attack. Investigators said the evidence was inconsistent with that account. 
Police said they recovered what appeared to be a bloodstained knife wrapped in cellophane, along with a sword, a baseball bat, multiple cell phones, clothing with possible blood, and a bloodstained mattress. 
According to the affidavit, investigators concluded that “Stroupe was being tortured over a period of several months and that Stroupe would have been physically unable to provide consent for vaginal sexual intercourse.”
Police arrested Hamilton on May 5 and charged him with first-degree murder and rape in connection with Stroupe’s death, <a href="https://www.charlottenc.gov/cmpd/News-Information/Newsroom/New-page-124">according</a> to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. 
Stroupe’s family later created a<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-give-isabella-a-proper-goodbye"> GoFundMe</a> to help cover funeral expenses, saying her death “has left a huge hole in our lives.” 
“I loved Isabella deeply. She was a total bookworm, always reading and sharing her favorite stories with me,” Stroupe&#8217;s sister said. “She loved fan fiction and My Little Pony, and her creativity brought so much joy to our family. Remembering her passion for books and the happiness she brought to those around her makes this loss even harder.”

Police Say Teen Was Tortured For Months Before Death

Charlotte

Domestic Violence

GoFundMe

Murder

North Carolina

Police

A manhunt is underway for six armed black teenagers caught on surveillance video surrounding and assaulting an elderly white man before entering a Baltimore convenience store.
On July 7, at about <a href="https://x.com/BaltimorePolice/status/2077539424745742724?t=226">3:46</a> a.m., a 74-year-old man was assaulted in the 2500 block of Liberty Heights Avenue. Surveillance video showed the suspects, described as younger males, confronting the elderly man outside a 7-Eleven. One suspect was seen carrying a gray assault-style rifle, while another displayed a sword.
The Baltimore Police Department is pleading for the public’s help to identify the sword-wielding suspects. The harrowing minute-and-a-half of footage shows a young adult dressed in a black hoodie running up to the man and shoving an assault-style rifle in his face. 
Remarkably, the older man stood his ground, appearing unfazed, even as five additional suspects joined the mob and attempted to open his car and rob him.
The young suspects hurled items at the 74-year-old until one ran up from behind to push him to the ground. Even then, lying on the pavement, the man refused to let the mob gain the upper hand. He kicked, twisted, and fought back while shielding his face from incoming punches and attacks.
Police described the incident as an attempted robbery and reported that the elderly man sustained only minor injuries, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/baltimore-7-eleven-attack/">CBS News</a>.
Juvenile crime continues to plague Baltimore and other deep-blue cities despite historic reductions in reported violent crime. <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/07/15/baltimore-county-juvenile-crime-unsafe/">The Baltimore Sun</a> reported Wednesday that many residents still do not feel safe and are demanding a crackdown from local authorities. 
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott has not addressed the 7-Eleven robbery, but acknowledged the city has more work to do in tackling crime. 
“Today, Baltimore is seeing its lowest number of homicides in 50 years, and now this strategy and our city has become an example for cities across the nation,” he <a href="https://x.com/MayorBMScott/status/2077517358403293652?s=20">said</a> in a statement. “But let me be clear: we’re not done. One life lost is still one too many. We will continue to ignore the noise, and we will keep working.” 
Anyone with information is asked to call citywide robbery detectives at 410-366-6311.

img_4284_720

WATCH: Elderly Man Fends Off Armed Teen Mob In Deep-Blue City

Baltimore

Crime

News

Nearly 30 arrested when fights break out as hundreds of young people descend on downtown Chicago

The New Dangerous Teen Trend Causing Mass Disorder Across The Country

MI x DW

Violence

A teenager who went missing after a boat trip with his friends on the Fourth of July was found dead as authorities identified his body Tuesday afternoon.
Nolan Wells, 18, was identified by the Jackson County Coroner’s Office through dental records after his body was discovered “in the water, just offshore” from Horn Island, a popular island off the coast of Mississippi, on Monday morning. Wells and his friends were celebrating the holiday on the boat on the island before his disappearance.
Wells’ cause of death is still unknown pending autopsy results that could take weeks. Authorities told ABC News that drowning appears to be the most likely cause of death at this point in the investigation.
Wells and his friends left for the island from a private dock in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, early on Saturday. He was last reported seen around 3 p.m. “talking to a girl” on the northern side of the island. His friends returned home without him, and Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter stated that it appears Wells “chose to stay there.&#8221;
When Wells did not return home, his mother reported him missing late Saturday night. Videos then began to surface on social media appearing to show a heated confrontation on the island on the Fourth of July, sparking online speculation about whether it was connected to Wells&#8217; disappearance. Authorities say they are aware of the footage and reviewing it, but have not verified its authenticity or linked it to his death.
Authorities have <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nolan-wells-missing-mississippi-horn-island-family-ben-crump/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=976922074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> for &#8220;original, unedited photos and videos taken on the northwest tip of Horn Island, particularly those depicting alleged altercations or containing images of, or believed to include Nolan Wells.&#8221;
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, has posted on her Facebook regarding the situation.
“His father, Elmore Wonsley and I are not ok. We have so many questions,” she <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christine.wonsley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>. “Our hearts are breaking, we keep waiting for Nolan to walk through that door with his beautiful smile and a joke of course.”
“Missing our Nolan so much every second of everyday. This has been the worst time of our lives,” she said in another post.
The family has retained nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump.
&#8220;His family deserves answers. They deserve the truth,&#8221; Crump <a href="https://x.com/AttorneyCrump/status/2074589567131267537" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;We will not rest until every fact about what happened to Nolan on Horn Island is brought into the light, and we call on investigators to pursue this case with the urgency and transparency this family deserves.&#8221;
Currently, no foul play is suspected in Wells&#8217; death, but the investigation is still ongoing.

Facebook: Christine Wonsley

Family Makes Legal Heavyweight Move After Teen’s Mysterious Fourth Of July Death

Death

Mississippi

Throngs of out-of-control teenagers hit Horny Corner beach in Long Beach, California, sparking fights that caused police to detain several teens June 11.
Video shows hundreds of teenagers crowding Horny Corner, Rosie’s Dog Beach, and nearby streets Thursday evening, which was the first night of summer break for multiple schools in the area, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/12/us-news/long-beach-teens-brawl-in-belmont-shore/">according</a> to the New York Post.
Residents called the police after girls in bikini tops began punching each other, the Post reported — and police responded, but the local chief warned that continued disturbances would only create more risks by drawing officers away from emergency calls and other responsibilities.
“Large-scale disturbances like this deplete our resources and divert our officers from addressing other safety concerns in Long Beach, including emergency responses,” Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in a statement from the Long Beach Police Department.
Police officers arrived in the area within five minutes of the first call, around 7 p.m., and began breaking up the crowd of roughly 200 teenagers at Horny Corner, according to the LBPD’s statement.
Another fight a few blocks away led police to detain multiple teens, according to the Post. Teens were still in the area around 9:45 p.m., at which point police took five teenagers to their parents after citing them for violating curfew, the LBPD’s statement said.
The gathering began as a celebration of the end of the school year, but quickly escalated into a brawl, Long Beach residents told CBS News.
“I was happy to see them all here at first,” resident Charles Cobb told the outlet. “It looked like they were all having a good time. But then, once it started getting out of hand, just a poor representation for us.”
The police also received reports that one of the teenagers had a gun. Despite detaining multiple people, police did not arrest anyone.
“I think it’s very irresponsible,” resident Erick Rodriguez told CBS. “Go to the theme park. Pick up a sport. Go to the beach. Something productive instead of going out and causing trouble.”
The LBPD is maintaining an increased presence in the area, according to the statement.
“When inappropriate activity occurs, our response will be prompt, direct, and focused,” Hebeish said. “We will maintain an enhanced presence throughout the weekend, and any form of violent behavior or law violations will not be tolerated.”

Orange County Register Archive

Bikini Brawl: Teen Takeover Turns Popular Beach Into Chaotic Mess

Fight

More than 50 kids and teens are facing criminal charges after a massive opening-day brawl at Hersheypark, a Pennsylvania amusement park, that sent terrified families scrambling for cover and forced the shutdown of at least one ride.
The Derry Township Police Department <a href="https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/dauphin/derry-twp-pd/3742/post/investigation-conclusion-hersheypark-disorderly-patrons-investigation?fbclid=IwY2xjawSVuQ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEesSrN6Ir82tVWOSvYygmoggH4H7GJWD0O2tt4D3z30F4Z0NjmsCa6GoVSvm0_aem_FtDvne_couThkT3bQVPKWA">announced</a> Monday that 55 people, ages 12 to 19, have been identified and charged in connection with the April 3 chaos. The group includes three adults and dozens of juveniles accused of offenses ranging from disorderly conduct and simple assault to aggravated assault, riot, conspiracy, and theft. 
According to witnesses, multiple fights erupted throughout the Pennsylvania amusement park, with some families shielding their children and taking cover under tables in the food court area as dozens of teens exchanged punches.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://t.co/IX9Hd7ClZE">https://t.co/IX9Hd7ClZE</a> <a href="https://t.co/2jUlIDVShm">pic.twitter.com/2jUlIDVShm</a>
— TruthWillCome2.0 (@SandyCee2400) <a href="https://x.com/SandyCee2400/status/2064104456266858671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Video circulating online appears to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DmS-dZB8uq0">show</a> another brawl breaking out near a roller coaster, forcing staffers to temporarily shut down the Skyrush ride.
“These actions caused serious inconvenience to Hersheypark staff and patrons of the park. This caused an emergency stop to the Skyrush ride,” officers said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/10/us-news/55-kids-teens-charged-in-hersheypark-opening-day-brawl/?dicbo=v2-R9ssdP0">according</a> to the New York Post.
Police said the disturbance began around 6:50 p.m. near the Trailblazer roller coaster, where two groups were involved in a verbal altercation before the confrontation escalated into a larger melee. Police were dispatched to assist security in separating the fighting groups.
But the chaos didn&#8217;t end there.
Authorities said participants later moved to the food court area, where another fight broke out. Witnesses estimated that between 50 and 60 teens were involved. 
Some participants were escorted out of the park through a side gate, but police said they later returned to the main entrance, where another confrontation erupted around 7:30 p.m.
The investigation took around three months as police reviewed extensive video evidence gathered from witnesses, security footage, and social media posts.
Among those charged as adults were Omar Ibrahim, 19, Jerome Ross III, 18, and Quaneek Williams, 18. PennLive <a href="https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/06/giant-brawl-forced-hersheypark-to-stop-rollercoaster-as-parents-hid-under-tables-police.html">reported</a> that Ibrahim and Ross were charged in connection with the alleged theft of a one-day admittance wristband from a minor. Williams was charged with one felony and four misdemeanors. 
No arrests have been made as of Tuesday night. Preliminary hearings for the three adult defendants are scheduled for July 7. 
Hersheypark said the individuals involved were quickly removed from the property.
“There was an altercation between a group of teenagers in Hersheypark the evening of Friday, April 3,&#8221; the park said in a statement. &#8220;Police responded to assist Park security in swiftly addressing the situation and removing those involved from the Park. As safety is our top priority, Hersheypark has a zero tolerance policy for behavior of this type. Those who do not abide by our policy will no longer be welcome on our property.”
While Hersheypark does not currently enforce a chaperone policy for minors, the park implemented a new photo verification process for same-day re-entry following the opening-day disruption. 
Under the policy, guests who leave the park and later return must have their photo verified against an image taken during their initial exit.
“This process helps ensure that admission is used only by the original ticket holder for same-day re-entry,” a park spokesperson said.

Hershey Park Entertainment Complex

More Than 50 Youths Charged Over Massive Brawl At ‘The Sweetest Place On Earth’

Pennsylvania

U.S.

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
When I was 15, I drove with my mother down the road to claim my inheritance. 
School was almost out in May 2021, and it was time for my first summer job. I had filled out an application online for the nearest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chick-fil-a-ranked-americas-favorite-restaurant-for-8th-consecutive-year">Chick-Fil-A</a>. As a Christian homeschooler, it was both my obligation and right to find employment at this storied institution.
Despite no prior work experience and the pressures of a lingering pandemic, Chick-fil-A hired me on the spot.
Last summer, while home from college, I applied to work at a different local Chick-fil-A. I was four years older, had months of experience at the other Chick-fil-A, and a year as a shift lead at a juice and smoothie shop. I didn’t even get an interview.
There is plenty of discussion about how hard it is for Gen Zers to find employment after college, but for many my age, the struggles can start much sooner. 
According to <a href="https://www.challengergray.com/blog/challenger-predicts-summer-jobs-for-teens-will-fall-to-lowest-pace-on-record/">recent predictions from Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas</a>, this summer will likely see the lowest levels of teen employment since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started tracking it. Last summer was the previous record low, with 801,000 teen jobs added. This summer, Challenger predicts employers will add only 790,000 teen jobs in the summer months.
This is a far different environment for teen workers compared to the late 1970s, when <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2017/article/teen-labor-force-participation-before-and-after-the-great-recession.htm">almost 60% of those aged 16 to 19 had a job or were seeking one</a>. According to Challenger, in April of this year, it was just 33.8%.
Alicia Modestino, an associate professor at Northeastern University in the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/after-a-decades-long-decline-in-teen-employment-gen-z-is-reversing-the-trend">identified three changes to the labor market</a> that led to a decline in teen employment from its 1970s high. 
First, many jobs that were previously performed by teens are now automated or outsourced. Think self-checkout lanes and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/native-born-american-labor-participation-slumps-as-immigrant-labor-numbers-jump">migrant workers</a> mowing lawns. 
Second, as states have regulated teen employment more, employers have gotten pickier. Teens are now less appealing to employers than other demographics because of hour restrictions, work permits, and more. Especially as older generations push off retirement and compete for the same part-time jobs teens once dominated, there’s now a more experienced labor pool to consider.
Finally, many middle- and upper-class teens are prioritizing college résumé-boosting activities that don’t involve work: <a href="https://1819news.com/culture/grace-plath-make-volunteering-great-again">volunteering</a>, traveling, and academics.
Gen Z may learn that finding a job is not quite as easy as it used to be. As the labor market shifts, the kind of jobs teens used to work may not be as available. But I strongly believe that for those who want to make money, work is out there.
Last summer, after Chick-Fil-A said no, I applied to several other places. When it seemed no one would hire me, I ended up working for a man I knew from church. He had been my family group leader on a mission trip the previous summer and we had hit it off. 
This is key for Gen Zers trying to find jobs: You never know when being kind or friendly will make an impression. Acting virtuously ought to be done for its own sake, but it will naturally result in benefits. Integrity matters because it is a virtue done expecting no reward and when you think no one is looking. However, that does not mean no one ever is.
Similarly, personal connection always trumps virtual connection. No matter the number of LinkedIn connections you may have, a handful of good personal connections are much more likely to turn into lasting friendships and job opportunities. 
The man I worked for owned his own landscaping company, mostly focused on mowing lawns, but he also did sprinkler installations. While his crews were out mowing, he did an installation a week to bring in extra income. 
My job wasn’t appealing. I dug trenches where the PVC pipe would go, and then once my boss laid the pipe, I would cover it up and pack the dirt down. Simple and exhausting. In the Texas heat, I learned the difference between a 95 and a 98-degree day. 
Hard work is not something to fear. <a href="https://newguardpress.com/manual-labor-still-matters-in-a-digital-age/">Working with one’s hands is good</a>; it teaches humility and dependence. You earn a healthy respect for the effort it takes to perform essential manual tasks.
Aside from being friendly, focusing on intentional personal connections, and being unafraid of hard work, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-signing-up-uber-gopuff-gig-apps-summer-jobs-2026-5?utm_source=copy-link&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=topbar">Gen Z must continue to look to the gig economy</a>. 
As an example, one summer I did nothing else for work but make Adirondack chairs out of whiskey barrels. I would buy empty, used barrels on Facebook Marketplace, and then my dad would help me craft them and stain them. We would sell the finished chairs back on Facebook Marketplace with great margins. While not something I would pursue as a career, it was a gig that taught me some woodworking skills and made some money. 
The gig economy may be a trap for Gen Z college graduates or <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/35923259-841c-40aa-b182-68b73dd4c89d?syn-25a6b1a6=1">a sign of the failed success pipeline</a>, but it’s a smart way for teens to seek extra cash through temporary employment.
Facing such a brutal job market, many in my generation are prone to blame the system that set them up for failure. Sometimes older generations lambast us with charges of laziness, seeing the system-blaming as nothing more than cope. While there is indeed much outside Gen Z’s control that has left us scrambling, and many (though not all) of the bad work ethic accusations are unjust, the correct solution is not anger but action. 
The best way to prove the strength of one’s work ethic and to begin to make money as a teen is to search for a job. If the data is to be believed, they can be found. Virtuous and friendly employees are always in demand. The gig economy, especially for young people seeking temporary employment, welcomes the resourceful and thrifty.  
When hard times come, outrage is one response. But the noble and productive choice is to do something, to persevere until a job is found. Not only would this flip the narrative of laziness, but it is also the path that is most likely to lead to work.
The young people of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Working as a teen gives you valuable experience, teaches life lessons, and sets you up well for a full-time job after high school. Despite the struggles and competing interests, working as a teen cultivates a skill set hard to get anywhere else.
***
Cooper Cobbs (<a href="https://x.com/CobbsCooper">@CobbsCooper</a>) is a 2026 Chesterton media fellow at New Guard Press. A rising junior at Patrick Henry College, he is the incoming student body president and will be the editor-in-chief of PHC’s student newspaper, the Herald, this fall.

Boy Mowing Lawn

The Summer Job Is Disappearing. Here’s What Gen Z Needs To Learn Fast

Jobs

summer

Upstream

An ex-Marine fought off four armed teenage robbery suspects in Maryland this week after one of them pointed a gun at him while he was working on his truck.
The confrontation happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday in Oxon Hill, just outside Washington, D.C., according to reports.
Video obtained by <a href="http://facebook.com/FoxNews/videos/four-teens-allegedly-tried-to-rob-a-former-marine-at-gunpoint-outside-his-own-ho/993407659719786/">Fox News</a> shows four hooded teens approaching Jheyco Borda as he worked on his vehicle.
One of the teens allegedly demanded Borda&#8217;s keys, phone, and valuables while pointing a handgun at him. 
After a brief standoff, Borda grabbed the teen&#8217;s arm and threw him to the ground.
The other suspects initially fled, but one returned and attempted to reengage before being tackled by Borda&#8217;s brother, who rushed in to help.
<iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F993407659719786%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
According to <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-marine-fights-off-armed-teen-robbers-oxon-hill">Fox 5,</a> the firearm discharged during the struggle and struck Borda&#8217;s truck. 
No injuries were reported.
Prince George&#8217;s County police later took all four teens into custody. 
 
Marines are trained to maneuver and escape from hostile situations through the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape schools. Borda had reportedly been trained in hand-to-hand combat.  
The <a href="https://dcwitness.org/everyone-thinks-youth-crime-is-increasing-d-c-witness-data-shows-why/">D.C. Witness</a> reported that teen crime in the D.C. area has been on the rise. According to the outlet, “the percentage of homicides and non-fatal shootings perpetrated by youth aged 15-to-20 almost doubled in the three years from 2021 thru June 2024.”

Woman inside her car being threat with a gun.

Teens Tried To Rob An Ex-Marine. It Didn’t Go As Planned.

Marines

Washington DC

A United Airlines Boeing 767 was forced to turn around Saturday evening when a teenager&#8217;s “joke” turned into a security threat.
Flight UA236 departed from Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately 5:58 p.m. on May 30 destined for Palma de Mallorca, Spain. After an hour and a half, however, crew members and passengers were sent into a frenzy after a Bluetooth device appeared on devices under the name &#8220;BOMB,&#8221; forcing the pilots to signal an emergency landing.
United stated that a passenger, reportedly a 16-year-old boy, named his Bluetooth device “BOMB” as a “prank” and turned it on while on board, prompting the emergency landing.
“We have one passenger that seems to be making a funny joke that isn’t so funny,” a flight attendant announced as shown by a recording from a passenger. “It’s going to be compromising the safety of this flight.”
Passengers explained that they discovered the Bluetooth connection on their devices across numerous social media posts. After flight attendants were informed, they demanded all passengers turn off Bluetooth or the plane would be turned around, as posted by a passenger on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1tsk81w/ua_236_the_bluetooth_flight/?rdt=63906">Reddit</a>. After the one-minute warning, Bluetooth devices remained on, and the plane turned around, according to passengers. 
Individuals on board the aircraft were evacuated as soon as the plane landed back at Newark Liberty International Airport, where they were met with local police and federal agents. Passengers on the flight were forced to go through TSA a second time while their baggage was examined.
“Now we all have to go back through airport security for some reason. Even though all of our bags are still on the plane,” a passenger stated on the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedairlines/comments/1tsk81w/ua_236_the_bluetooth_flight/?rdt=63906">Reddit thread</a> created for the incident, along with a picture of everyone in security. “The captain and flight attendants implied multiple times that someone was ‘playing a joke’ as if it was someone doing something blatantly stupid/silly with Bluetooth or airdrop.”
Passengers eventually arrived at their final destination nine-and-a-half hours behind schedule. United Airlines has yet to release an official statement on the event as of Monday evening regarding what occurred or any punishments for the passenger who believed they would make people laugh.

United Airlines plane at Denver International Airport

Teen ‘Prank’ Triggers United Airlines Emergency Landing

Airplane

United Airlines

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
If you ever feel compelled to steal a dead-end sign, do not attempt to uproot it post and all. Instead, focus just on the sign itself. Even if you don’t have the tools necessary, there are tricks to popping it from its perch. I will not be sharing those here — this is not “The Anarchist’s Cookbook” — but suffice it to say that tools are not always necessary when brute force, a modicum of ingenuity, and unyielding idiocy are readily available.
Part two of this advice is that if you do attempt to steal a dead-end sign, post and all, and abandon said plan upon realizing it’s not going to work, do not hop into the getaway car and floor it down the same dead-end road from which you were attempting to steal said sign. Remember, there is a reason it was placed there. You may not find, as my idiot friends and I did, a large unfenced and un-landscaped yard at the end offering the opportunity to do a sliding 360 through before exiting back out onto the road and driving away. 
I can admit this because we’re well beyond the statute of limitations for this attempted crime; also I am generally long past the urge to engage in petty theft of public property. As a teenager, though, as teenagers are wont to be, I was stupid. I was reckless. I sometimes had conversations with the police, conversations that on two occasions resulted in court appearances. We used to call these rites of passage. Today, though, teens have decided to be responsible rather than reckless, which sounds well and good, but greatness is not built upon the shoulders of responsibility. 
Looking at <a href="https://x.com/grantjbailey/status/2056407935291465782">this graph</a>, I can see my escapades occurred around the time an appetite for destruction peaked. I graduated high school in 1994, which looks to be when roughly 57% of young men craved danger, when doing so often literally involved saying, “Hold my beer.” Now, though, only 35% of young men feel similarly, which is no way to create an enduring future. 
A large part of the problem lies with my generation. We Gen Xers love to boast, but we helped invent participation trophies and helicopter parenting. We bragged about our limitless freedoms while taking our own kids to scheduled and adult-monitored activities most nights of the week. We compared stories about various whuppings while engaging in gentle parenting. We did this. 
Granted, in the words of <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheSimpsons/comments/22fern/am_i_so_out_of_touch/">Seymour Skinner</a>, we’re not wrong. It’s the kids who are out of touch. They’re supposed to rebel, not conform. And rebellion would be super easy right now. Not rebellion like we see via influencers and their bizarre reenactments of Bret Easton Ellis’s fever dreams — see, for instance, <a href="https://x.com/facetedcarapace/status/2055990136282755248">Clavicular</a> — but in terms of abject stupidity. 
There are structural obstacles to overcome thanks to the digital surveillance state and smartphones, but GPS spoofing technology is readily available. It’s quite easy to set your location to a known safe space while instead “borrowing” a friend’s dad’s car and taking a road trip for the weekend. There are still dirt roads just waiting to have a campfire built at the end of them. There are still older brothers to buy beer and parents who don’t visit the room when the kids have company over.
But it also takes us, as parents, to gently nudge our progeny to do something senseless every day, especially if it scares them. We have to loosen the reins and let them live, to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-pTlLMKIOqU">tell them</a>, “The older you do get, the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep living, man. L-I-V-I-N.&#8221;
And sometimes we’re going to have to help them. At a graduation party recently, the fathers and celebratory son gathered in the kitchen. An exceptionally nice bottle of bourbon was produced. The young man, close to heading out into the world, joined the old men in a soupçon of the nectar, then proceeded to go outside and light up a cigar. At one point, when it started to go out, someone had to hold his beer while he hit the end with the flame. 
He did not look natural with his Glencairn, nor his cigar, but he did look like someone who might need bail money at some point. And at some point after that, he’ll be a captain of industry. For as <a href="https://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Clancy_Wiggum">Chief Wiggum</a> said, when some killjoys attempted to bring back prohibition, “Ladies, please. All our founding fathers, astronauts, and World Series heroes have been either drunk or on cocaine.”
The United States, despite much handwringing to the contrary, is still a great nation, one full of hope and promise. But if we’re going to keep building upon the greatness that previous generations have bequeathed us, we’re going to have to remember that truth. We’re also going to have to remember that the future founders, mars colonizers, and world-class athletes are likely young degenerates today. They’re the ones too stupid to realize they can’t accomplish whatever risky venture they put their minds to. Now if someone could hold my beer, I see a dead-end sign off in the distance that would look fantastic in my oldest daughter’s dorm room.

GettyImages-2669737

Why The Next Great American Success Story Might Start With A Dumb Teenager

Culture

Menu