Storied Carmichael Auditorium, a landmark filled with memories on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus, has been out of action since the end of the 2007-2008 basketball season.

Tuesday night, it was open for basketball again. And UNC’s seventh-ranked women’s basketball team won the renovated arena’s debut contest handily, beating the visitors from Kennesaw State 89-44.

It was a great way to welcome back a great facility, where Tar Heel’s men’s teams racked up impressive records before the Dean Smith Center was built, and which has been home court for the women since 1974.

A scoreboard with full video capabilities on all sides, stadium seating (replacing aluminum bleachers), a new brick facade and an improved sound system are among changes. Most visibly, the court arrangement has been altered for better television broadcasts.

Coach Sylvia Hatchell said Tuesday that “it’s good to be back in Carmichael. And no wonder. Tuesday’s win brought the women’s team record to 374-83 (.818) all-time in Carmichael.

Like Coach Hatchell, we’re glad they’re back.

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We report so often on driven, purposeful young people in this community that we hardly feel compelled to point out what should be obvious: For all the wringing of hands we might do over the wayward young, and for all the too frequent reports of young men and women in trouble, the vast majority of our youth are okay.

And many are far more than okay. They are outstanding.

Take, for example, Jorge Garcia, one of 11 North Carolina teens recently named to the Statewide Youth Council, a new initiative of the North Carolina School Community Health Alliance. The alliance has been training the youngsters to conduct local health assessments.

Anne Derouin, a pediatric nurse practitioner a clinic at Southern High School, where Garcia, who was born in Mexico, is a student, and recommended him for the council.

“He’s just been terrific in bringing Spanish-speaking people to the clinic and being able to help with translating whatever services are available,” Derouin told The Herald-Sun’s Matthew Milliken.

For his part, Garcia said he wants “to be involved because I can go back to my school, my community and teach them what I have learned so they can be also informed on some things I am doing,” he said. “

For his sense of purpose and the contributions he has made and will make, we’re pleased to give Garcia this week’s Durham Grit Award.

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Oh, and one more tip of the Week’s End hat to enterprising young people.

Students at the North Carolina School of Science and Math are gearing up to set a world’s record — one that will benefit of lot of folks who need some help putting food on the table in these difficult times.

Led by student life instructor Sue Anne Lewis, students hope to set a record for the amount of food gathered in one place, in 24 hours, by a non-charitable organization.

They believe they will have to collect more than 388,000 pounds of food that day. By comparison, this fall the Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina hauled in 220,000 pounds in one day at the N. C. State Fair.

The Food Bank is partnering with the school for the students’ drive, which is planned for March 20.

Lewis says she and the students are “1,000 percent” committed to setting the record.

We certainly believe they can do it — and wish them the best.