In South Bend, most jobs hire at sixteen years old. All of the fast food restaurants, all of the arcades, and many other places. That is an age when most teens start working, I think we need a place where fourteen and fifteen year olds can work also. It will stop teens from doing or selling drugs, or prevent other bad behaviors that help teens make money quickly.

There are a lot of teens struggling in today’s world, Some teenagers are on their own, homeless, or just need cash. Life is hard when everything needs money. For instance my family is struggling, we don’t have money for certain things but we make it work, we just go without it. There are many families that shouldn’t have to go without something.  It isn’t fair that just because some teens are months away from being sixteen, means they cant work. Only 40% of high schoolers are working while going to school on the daily (Employment). That leaves 60% of students that either get money from their parents, get money illegally, or dont get money at all.The state expects teens to be able to focus on school when they have so much on their mind because they have no income.

Every teenager does not have the perfect family financially. Not every teenager gets to have the privilege of getting allowance. Some teens need money to survive. It is unfair that you have to be a certain age to have a successful life.  “To succeed in America, it’s better to be born rich than smart.” Anthony B. Carnevale tells CNBC Make it (Hess). Not every family is rich, especially in South Bend. Not every teenager has an iphone, airpods, and clothes from the mall. Some can’t focus on that when they have serious things to worry about.

If the state only wants teens sixteen and up to work then they should make a way for underaged teens to get money. Maybe have a finance program for them. Possibly have side jobs at school for them to do. They can’t just expect everyone to have a perfect life at this age, if they aren’t helping it happen. The laws say that teens shouldn’t have to work but some have to, to survive.

Some teens are living a perfect life but maybe we should focus on the ones who are living that type of life. It might help more teens stay away from drugs and bad behavior. They say to enjoy your life while you are young but you can’t enjoy it if you can’t do certain things because they involve money that you don’t have. The city should help them have the future that they truly deserve.

Works Cited

Hess, Abigail J. “Georgetown Study: ‘To Succeed in America, It’s Better to Be Born Rich than Smart’.” CNBC, CNBC, 29 May 2019, www.cnbc.com/2019/05/29/study-to-succeed-in-america-its-better-to-be-born-rich-than-smart.html.

“Employment – Employment Rate by Age Group – OECD Data.” TheOECD, data.oecd.org/emp/employment-rate-by-age-group.htm.