ROSES to Wendell Rodgers, Carrboro's recreation supervisor, and the other town staff and officials who recently gave a group of teens the opportunity not only to see local government in action but to BE local government in action.

Rogers coordinates Carrboro's annual Town Hall Day for Teens, which is more complicated than it sounds. For the more recent teen day, Rogers met with local middle school students to teach them about processes and terminology specific to Town Hall operations, and arranged for them to watch a Board of Aldermen meeting.

Afterward, he discussed local issues important to the students and developed several of those issues into agenda items. He e-mailed the agenda to the students, and they did research in preparation for a mock board meeting.

Town Manager Steve Stewart, Assistant Town Manager Drew Cummings and Alderman Jaquie Gist attended the mock board meeting.

The students held their mock board meeting on Feb. 25, following standard board protocol. Students rotated through various roles, from mayor to concerned citizen, and debated and voted on the various issues.

It's a terrific program, offering young people insight into how local government operates and why it matters. Don't be surprised if you see some of these young people back at the board table in a few years.


ROSES to Sylvia Hatchell and her UNC women's basketball team for posting a spectacular regular season.

The Tar Heels ran the table in the ACC, finishing a perfect 14-0, and head into the conference tournament ranked second in the nation. Along the way, Hatchell won the 500th game of her career and two Tar Heels -- Erlana Larkins and Latoya Pringle -- were named to the all-conference first team.

Carolina wrapped up the regular season on about as high a note as you can imagine, downing Duke -- which, ranked 12th in the nation, is hardly a pushover -- by an astounding 31 points on Sunday.

Congratulations, Heels. Of course, there's work yet to be done, and we'll be pulling for you.


While we're on hoops, ROSES to Quentin Thomas for giving all of us a lesson in perseverance, determination and rising to the occasion under pressure.

When Ty Lawson, the UNC men's team's superb point guard, went down with a bad ankle, many of the faithful hung their heads.

Thomas lifted his.

Hindered by injuries, limited minutes and inconsistent play, Thomas' career had never really seemed to get off the ground. But with Lawson out, coach Roy Williams had to put the ball, and the team, in Thomas' hands.

Boy, did he come through. He played smart and steady, got the ball where it needed to go and led the Tar Heels to a run of victories that has them back atop the national rankings.

During his four years here, Thomas -- "Q" to his tens of thousands of closest friends -- has worked hard and stayed positive because, he said, he always knew the time might come when his team would need him.

It did, and he was ready.

"If you don't feel good about what has happened with Quentin ... you have no heart," Williams said.

Got that right. A standing O for Q.