An opinion survey was just released by Shell Oil Co. that sheds some light on how teens look at the world these days.

The poll was conducted for Shell by Peter D. Hart Research Associates.

Ninth- through 12th-graders were asked their perceptions of safety of their schools; influence of parents, school officials and peers; outlook on the future; and the most prevalent pressures they endure.

The questions were formulated in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education.

While some "grownups" tend to think of today's youth as lost and irresponsible, I think the survey generally was pretty positive.

Surprisingly, the top pressure reported by most teens had nothing to do with sex or drugs. Teen were asked to choose from a list of sources of pressure.

Forty-four percent cited the pressure to get good grades as the top pressure. Next on the list was pressure to get into college, at 32 percent. Third was pressure to fit in socially, at 29 percent, followed by the pressure to use drugs or alcohol, 19 percent, and pressure to be sexually active, 13 percent.

But apparently pressure isn't synonymous with problems. The kids were given a list of problems teens face. Sixty-five percent of them reported the issues listed as a small problem or no problem at all, with the exception of drugs and alcohol.

But a significant minority think their friends have fairly or very serious problems with drugs and alcohol (43%), academics (35%), family life (35%) and school violence (32%).

Since the school shooting in Colorado, school violence has been a hot topic among parents and educators.

Apparently teens don't share their concern.

When asked to grade their schools on the issue of safety, 77 percent of all teens gave their schools an A or a B for "being a safe place, without violence." African American or Hispanic students tended to show more concern about violence. While 81 percent of white teens gave their schools A's or B's on the issue, just 69 percent of Hispanics and 58 percent of African American teens agreed.

Sixty-six percent of those surveyed gave their school an A for safety, while 17 percent gave their school a B.

The poll asked teens to apply that same grading scale to 16 other aspects of high school. A majority of them rated 15 of the 16 as an A or a B. Only when asked whether kids treated each other with respect did less than half (49%) give lower than an A or B.

The highest grade went to the following categories: teaching basic academic subjects, (90% gave an A or B); the availability of computers, (79%); the availability of classes in subjects like art, theater and music, (79%); and giving students help and advice about applying to college, (78%).

There are some signs of dissatisfaction. Thirty-seven percent give their schools an unsatisfactory grade when it comes to having enough space for students. Forty-six percent gave low marks in regard to class sizes being too large. Those poll results were directly related to school size. Thirty-eight percent of students in schools with more than 1,800 students say their schools do a good job of having small classes with personal attention. The percentage goes to 61 among students in schools with fewer than 900 students.

When it comes to high school culture, 68 percent of teens said the best thing about going to school is hanging with their friends, compared to 21 percent who say the best thing is going to class.

What qualities are most personally important to teens?

Sixty-five percent rated being honest as being very important, followed by working hard (58%), being a good student (49%), having religious faith (39%), giving time to help others (38%) and having lots of friends (32%). Those qualities were a lot more important to teens than being a great athlete (19%), having a lot of money (19%) or having a boyfriend or girlfriend (12%).

But those numbers turn upside down when teens were asked what it takes to be popular. Athletics, money and girlfriends and boyfriends rank high when it comes to gaining popularity. The qualities that teens value most personally - working hard and being a good student - are much less important in being popular, the poll shows.

Surprising to me was that while friends are an important part of their lives, students report parents' support and guidance is more important that that of their friends, teachers, siblings, girlfriends or boyfriends. Eighty percent said they rely on their parents for support and guidance.

This despite the rising number of fractured families in society today.

And the relationship between parental involvement and teen motivation was significant. Sixty-four percent of teens who say their parents follow their studies closely say they get A's and B's. Only 48 percent of teens who say their parents don't follow their studies report making A's and B's.

Many aspects of the poll were quite surprising and refreshing to me.

It's interesting because lots of adults tend to be skeptical and critical when it comes to teens. It's as if they have forgotten that they, too, once were teens.

The perception among many adults is that teens are a generation adrift or lost.

But when you ask the teens themselves, the answers they give show that a majority of them are rational, well-rounded young adults. [[In-content Ad]]