SPECIAL: Young People And Their Amazing Contributions To Us All

Florida: Real And Imagined

In this episode we focus on young people. We will share some familiar names, familiar inventions, familiar accomplishments, and perhaps a few that are not familiar at all. The common denominator? They are all from children, teens, and young adults.

Below is a synopsis of the content of today's program:

Kids' contributions to our world:

• Anne Frank's timeless diary sheds light on the horrors of war.
• Samantha Smith eased Cold War tensions with a letter at 10, becoming "America's Youngest Ambassador."
• Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel laureate at 17, advocates for women's education after surviving a Taliban attack.
• Iqbal Masih, escaped child slavery at 10, led a movement against it, and left a lasting legacy.
• Claudette Colvin, at 15, refused to give up her bus seat, contributing to the Civil Rights Movement.

Snuggle Sacks: Founded by siblings aged 8, 10, and 12 in 2015, it provides essentials to the homeless, growing from 50 to 800-1,200 sacks monthly.

Young inventors and their creations:

• Frank Epperson (11): Popsicle in 1905.
• George Nissen (16): Trampoline in 1930.
• Louis Braille (12): Braille in 1924.
• Albert Sadacca: Christmas Lights in 1925.
• Chester Greenwood (15): Earmuffs in 1873.
• Joseph-Armand Bombardier (15): Snowmobile in 1922.
• Ben Franklin (11): Swim Flippers in the early 1700s.
• Abbey Fleck (8): Makin' Bacon in 1993.
• KK Gregory (10): Wristies in 1994.
• Kelly Reinhart (child): T-Pak in 1998.

Young Achievers in Various Fields:

• Kelvin Doe: Sierra Leone inventor, powering houses and building a community radio station at 13.
• Marley Dias: Activist behind #1000BlackGirlBooks, promoting diverse stories.
• Greta Thunberg (16): Environmental activist, organizing Fridays for Future.
• Emma González: Survived a school shooting, co-founded Never Again MSD for gun control.

Nick Dunlap (20): Amateur golfer, winning the American Express Tournament with a score of -29.

Hemesh Chadalavada (12): Invented the Alpha Monitor for Alzheimer's patients, winning awards and grants.

Aarrav Anil (schoolboy): Invented a mechanically stabilized spoon for Parkinson's patients, focusing on affordability.

Allyson Reneau: Helped evacuate Afghanistan's all-girl robotics team from the Taliban, showcasing resilience and determination.

Philo T. Farnsworth (15): Created diagrams for electronic television in 1921, leading to the first image transmission in 1927.

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (both 17): Created Superman in 1933, with the character debuting in comics in 1938.