Last week, the news media was flooded with articles showing that America’s happiness ranking had declined, pushing the USA down to 23rd in the world. Reports showed that younger people are behind their elders when it comes to measures of happiness.

While reading these articles, I was invited by my college students to a “Dance Marathon.” These students spent their morning and afternoon having the time of their lives, fundraising thousands of dollars for the Children’s Miracle Network, and perfecting a dance routine. There were student athletic teams, Greek organizations, student government, and theater students. They even worked with those who weren’t part of a student organization, making them feel welcome.

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in Georgia. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His Twitter account is @JohnTures2.