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The Sunshine Economy

Finding Your Place In The Sunshine Economy

These four teenagers spent their summer with WLRN News. They each reported personal stories focused on a place: a park, a torn-down apartment building, school, etc.
Wilson Sayre

"To get out and explore more things," is how Rochnel Jean-Baptiste described her desire to eventually leave Miami after she finishes school. Jean-Baptiste was one of four teenagers who participated in WLRN's 2016 Youth Radio program.

It's the most teenage of desires -- to explore more things -- isn't it?

The four teens who were part of our program each told personal stories that revolved about places important to them: school, a park, their neighborhood. These are the places that help shape them into who they are, who they want to become and the possibilities them see for themselves in the future.

These places make up much of your daily world when you are a teenager. They’re the places you begin to explore and see opportunities.  And for each of the students, these places changed in some way, either physically, or the role it plays in their lives.

"I want to see the two different lifestyles (in Miami)," said Anthony Espinoza, who returned to high school this fall. "I want to step out of what we consider the 'hood and walk into Kendall or South Beach. I want to see what's really real in Miami."

Rachel Greig said she supports people coming to her hometown, but admitted, "I want to go. I want to travel to different places and I mean travel."

Whether it is within South Florida or beyond, changing you place to explore new experiences and opportunities is a yearning just developing in these teenagers. It may help explain why they were interested in exploring places they are familiar with now, hoping to better understand where they are in order to influence where they may be going -- in their travels and in their careers.

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Tom Hudson is WLRN's Senior Economics Editor and Special Correspondent.