SECOND PLACE
“The future of our state is in the hands of the youth. This is why caring for and supporting us now is so important.”
Youth Vision for 2030
Kelli Frimml
Age 18
Worland, Wyoming
Essay
When I was little, I remember picturing the future to consist of flying cars and transparent toasters. As I have gotten older, I realize things do not really work out that way or that quickly. Now, after living in Wyoming for 18 years, I can better picture and understand what I imagine the state and communities look like in the year 2030. Not only would I see a clean, beautiful land, but there would be healthy communities with better education, economics, and more. As a positive person, I envision positive things for the years to come.
Right off the bat, I see 2030 Wyoming built off of dedicated people who strive to better their communities. While communities today are strong, there is always room for more. Not only will these self-sufficient civilians seek to better their surroundings, but they will also be driven to better themselves. This will lead to better educating each other on how to care for yourself. Everyone will have everyone’s back. Mental health will be stronger than it has ever been, with the idea that the majority of young people will mature into strong, healthy, productive adults. Right now, in 2021, the state of Wyoming has the highest suicide rate in the nation with 31 deaths for every 100,000 residents. Obviously, something in our state and communities needs to be improved to help and support those struggling with mental health. For the future, I see that improvement, I see that number dropping, and I see more connections between people. No one will be looked over or looked down on.
In addition to that topic, the future of our state is in the hands of the youth. While many adults and elders can easily come up with the ideas, the youths are the ones to take action and start making these differences. This is why caring for and supporting us now is so important. Without the guidance we need, our paths will not get very far. Regarding people, I believe there will be great population increases across the state. During the year 2020, once lockdown had lifted due to the pandemic, Wyoming’s famous tourist attractions saw their busiest days on record. This is mostly because Wyoming’s restrictions were a lot less than bigger states which attracted more people than normal. Because of this, I see more people moving to Wyoming. Looking at numbers increasing in neighboring states such as Colorado, I see most of our population growth occurring first in Laramie and Cheyenne. These two cities would probably hold about 38 percent by then which would be a strong advantage for our government system. Also relating to population, I would imagine that smaller towns would lose population to larger towns and cities as they have over the past few years.
Moving onto a separate subtopic, the way to further guide and enhance the knowledge of the youth is going to come from education. Just seeing the changes that have been made from 2018 to now, I can make the quick assumption that technology will continue to grow and change the way education is handed to students. From chalkboards to touch screens and from having to walk to a computer lab to carrying your computer with you from class to class. Things are different now and honestly, it is hard to imagine how greater change is going to look in the future, but here is what I have come up with. While most might think that technology is largely impactful, others might see it as a negative effect on learning and mechanisms. From what I can imagine, bringing in more technology can possibly take away from teachers, turning them into more a facilitator who is there to help with questions instead of doing the overall teaching. Ever since the pandemic began and quarantine took place in 2020, more students found that they preferred online teaching and chose not to attend in-person school when the opportunity opened. From a personal perspective, seeing how many students didn’t attend my school this year and chose to continue their education online, I can assume that number will only increase in the future. While there are a lot of somewhat negative effects from enhancing technology in schools, there can also be positive looks on the idea. For example, new programs can be made for teachers to better see a more real-time data chart showing their students’ performance to help them seek the individuals who need tailored help. Technology can be used to help students improve at their own pace, but this could affect the spot-on curriculums. I picture students in a science class, but while one is working on chemistry, another is looking into human psychology. If everyone is going at different paces, I do not see why they all need to be meeting the same standards. When thinking about school subjects, I also see large differences being made and new things being brought in. I know that in today’s schools, things like coding are already being taught to elementary students. With the future holding such strong technology, I do not think it would hurt to continue teaching more advanced subjects starting at a young age. When imagining the future of school subjects, I perfectly picture more useful subjects being brought into the classroom. For example, mathematical and interpersonal skills such as economics, health tech, and management analysis will all be put on the table for students to educate at some point before reaching college.
A topic that has taken some research and further understanding is economics and what it will look like in ten years. From what I have learned, I can assume that for our state that sales tax rates, property tax rates, tax on capital gain earnings, or all of the above will increase. The idea is that whatever system takes place will gain additional revenue as the population increases, which is likely to happen in our state’s future. Without this idea, the state could have what’s called a backward incentive that would discourage the growth simply because we couldn’t afford to pay the government operations we would need to support a population increase. Pushing people out of the state because we cannot afford to support them is an abrupt way to become a failed state. Taking this idea even further, I imagine that small business growth occurs over the course of ten years. With that being said, I also believe that small businesses should be given the same resources as larger businesses. A business in Thermopolis has access to the same businesses that might be starting in Cheyenne or Laramie. In doing so, the decline in smaller communities will come to a stop. With the economy comes employment. In 2020, the unemployment rate reached 6.1 percent and dropped to 4.9 percent in 2021. My hope for the future in 2030 is that the rate will continue to drop. While it is perfectly normal for the rate to go up and down over the next couple of years, I would imagine that by 2030 it is at a healthy, low percentage.
Where would I see myself? I have been asked this question multiple times lately now that I am a senior and my own future is really in my hands and my hands only. Ten years seems like a long stretch to me, but I already have a few things in mind. I know I plan to have graduated from the University of Wyoming at this point and I should be moved into my own home debt-free. I see myself living in a larger community than I grew up in and being a big part of it. With all these ideas I have for the future of our state, I see myself being one of the many to actually put these ideas into reality and do things to make a change. Career-wise, I know for a fact I am going to be making a difference in people’s lives. I want to help people in ways others cannot. Something I have always been passionate about is mental health and how it works. When attending college, I plan to study human psychology and learn about human behavior. By 2030, I see myself slowly working towards becoming a criminal psychologist. Growing up, I remember always watching crime shows and documentaries with my grandma. They always scared me, but also left me thinking why? Something I would be so fascinated by is interrogating a criminal and diagnosing them. In a way, it relieves them to have an answer. Moving past my career, I also see myself married by the time 2030 rolls around. We would be living in a hard-working community that can easily be called a family, where everyone feels the importance of taking care of each other and our surroundings. I see Tuesdays spent out on the streets eating tacos with my friends and Friday night bowling and pizza with the neighbors. The second Sunday of each month will be spent out in the backyard with everyone from church that morning. The guys are grilling, the girls are gossiping, and the kids are playing games. Although I picture date nights occurring often, I also know I will plan evenings for myself. I know that in the future I will make sure to put myself over others at times because my mental health is just as important as anyone else’s. I can picture me and my significant other being financially comfortable and traveling as much as we can before permanently settling and having kids. This beautiful future will be one where I, personally, am the happiest I have ever been in my life.
Another quick thing I picture in the future of our state is clean land and property. Not just sidewalks and curbs, but along highways, interstates, and badlands I see the ground free of trash and litter. In the future, I imagine a system or program that provides the resources and tools needed to clean trash continuously. This idea also ties back to having a community that sees the issue and takes control of it. People who want to keep things clean and healthy. So many harmful things are thrown out of the car window or simply just dropped during a walk and most of the time, these items take years and years to decompose. The build-up of trash is so unhealthy and unpleasant for tourists or locals to see. In addition, I see more recycling centers spread out across the state. I know in the town I grew up in, that was not offered to us, and it led to a build-up of trash in dumps. Offering this would allow for the state to be cleaner and more productive when it comes to trash. So in ten years, I hope to see cleaner lands and more people who want to keep it that way.
Lastly, I want to talk about the things that I want to stay the same. Starting with the natural beauty of our state. Personally, I do not think bigger buildings need to be built or land needs to be taken for unnecessary projects. The land of the state should remain untouched for as long as possible. When 2030 rolls around, I hope to continue to see colorful, breathtaking landscapes. Another idea is the regulated public education which should continue for the next ten years and more because education is so important, and I would hate for it to be taken from anyone.
In conclusion, what I truly see in the future of Wyoming is beauty and improvement. The state has a lot to work on over the ten-year time period but there is so much potential in each community. After looking at trends over the past, I can see a bright future for Wyoming and its people. With driven civilians, enhanced education, a stronger economy, and cleaner lifestyles, the state will be one of the finest in the country. I see myself being more involved and figuring as an inspiration to others to be the same way. In 2030, all I picture is happiness and health for everyone and every place.