If you’ve been bemoaning the state of today’s youth, check out one of these inspiring, uplifting documentaries about kids who are hardworking, talented, and driven.

Louder Than a Bomb
You may not think you’re a fan of slam poetry (I certainly didn’t), but wait until you meet the teenagers in this documentary.  They take the sometimes painful raw material of their lives and come up with amazing performance poetry that will make you proud.  Don’t be surprised if you find yourself on your feet, cheering, in your own living room.

Spellbound
This tracks eight kids competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and it’s a tense but often hilarious nailbiter.  Don’t miss the 2012 live broadcast of the bee on Thursday, May 31 on ESPN.