Young Role Models in the Media

On April 8, the Washington Post Magazine printed an article about Kailyn Cage. Miss Cage was the Junior Achievement Youth Entrepreneur of 2006 and has planned a business and engineering curriculum to reach her goal of designing vending machines.

Teens and their parents need to see people like Kailyn Cage in the media. As girls enter high school, they become more aware of gender roles and cultural expectations. Girls often choose not to go into technology careers because they aren't exposed to any role models in those fields and adults expect them to conform to their perceptions of what girls are supposed to do.

I hope to see more teen and adult role models featured in all sections of the Washington Post, and less space devoted to the less admirable role models who permeate popular culture.