As a resident of Michigan, I am watching the economy crumble around me.
Houses are being foreclosed, jobs are being cut, residents are leaving, and
our state's unemployment level is the highest in the nation. In the eyes
of many, our state is doomed for absolute collapse. This is the environment
that I have grown up in for the past several years, and it is from this
turbulent past that holds the key to our future. I am looking at the dawn of
a new Michigan, one that relies on its most valuable resource: its citizens.

The hints brought forth in Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat"
bring out a striking reassurance of the state's future. Residents are
witnessing their lives being destroyed by the influx of free trade
agreements and cheap foreign labor. This is but a temporary price to pay for
our current struggles. The globalization of our workforce holds the key to
our prosperous future.

In our past, we relied heavily on industry, living in a world where
finishing high school was not a requirement to rolling in the dough. This
has since changed with the loss of many of our precious factory jobs to
other places. While on the surface it sounds like a bad thing, it has
immense positive prospects. This change forced our residents to think in a
new way. Education has taken the assembly line's place as our states most
vital tool.

Businesses are being rapidly created with the establishment of the 21st
Century Jobs Fund. While factory jobs are being lost in masses, numerous
small business jobs are flourishing, creating the need for more workers.
People are starting to push for technology, healthcare, and service jobs to
diversify the workforce so that a downturn in one sector (like automotives)
will not lead to the collapse of our economy. It is this revitalized
entrepreneurial spirit- one that hasn't been seen since the creation of
the automobile in the early 20th century- that will save our state. I am at
the forefront of this revelation.

When I finish my education, I hope to be one of these great entrepreneurs
that jump-starts our economy. I will not cling to the idea that I cannot
create my own destiny. I want to provide a job for my fellow residents and
create a stable and prosperous environment in which their posterity can
mature. The tools and environment for the future are here, waiting to be
utilized by those who share my ambition.

You asked me what my best vision for Michigan's future is-that is simple:
our resident's are, my generation is, and, most importantly, I am the
future. This is no easy obstacle to overcome, but I have confidence that our
residents have the power to triumph over difficulties. We can and will
produce the wealth that comes with the spirit of the American dream.