Radio Rookie Mame Diop never wanted to leave Senegal, even though her mother lived in the United States. But then in 2017, Mame came to New York both to be reunited with her mother and for her education. Mame wonders why she's in the US and whether the opportunities afforded her are truly better than what she could achieve in Senegal. She misses home, her grandmother, her extended family and her friends. While many in the US assume it's a better life with more opportunities, Mame explores whether that's true for her. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of WNYC’s Radio Rookies program. Our stories are archived by subject here.

Temitayo and Gemma spoke with nearly three dozen high school students who smoke weed to learn more about what they call "the Mary Jane mindset".

When people think about teen parents, they usually picture a young mom. But what about the dads?

Cece Rodriguez may be tiny at 5 ’4”, 100 lbs, but she’s physically strong. Despite her family’s concerns, she dreams of testing her toughness by enlisting in the U.S. Marines.

Nearly 100,000 Americans suffer from a disorder called Sickle Cell Anemia. Radio Rookie Bree Person hates talking about Sickle cells – but she put together this report nevertheless.

At 17-years-old Tangeneka Taylor moved to the U.S from Guyana with her dad and sister. Along with having to adjust to a new country, she’s had to adjust to life without her mom.

Fresh grass. Freedom. Success. That was the sensation Edward Munoz experienced every time he walked onto a soccer field. But in school, he felt like he wasn’t meant to be there.

In New York City the high school graduation rate for black males was 28 percent in 2010. Radio Rookie Mike Brown is a young black man living in Harlem and being raised by a single mom.

In some ways, being feminine made life harder for Dakota than his sexuality.

When 18-year-old Radio Rookie Mari Santos recognized that her older sister Alison was in abusive relationship, the hardest part was figuring out how to talk to her about it.

Destiny Mabry had a lot in common with her older sister: a love of dance, a bright smile, and excellent jump rope skills. They also both had experience with abusive relationships.

Rainy wanted to understand why she stayed with an older boyfriend who humiliated and physically abused her. So she spent two years reporting from inside the relationship.   

Many teenagers live half their lives on social media sites, and they're writing the rules as they go. One online trend Radio Rookie Temitayo Fagbenle finds disturbing is "slut-shaming" 

Jairo Gomez's nine-person family lives in a one-bedroom apartment. He knows education is the way out of poverty, but sometimes being poor makes it difficult to make good choices.

Aired December, 2012. Danielle was 13 when she left her home and her mother in the Congo.  She came to New York to pursue the American dream, but she wound up living in a homeless shelter. 

Aired October, 2010. Radio Rookie Helen Peng lives in Flushing, Queens and calls herself an ABC, or American-born Chinese. But a lot of FOBs, or Fresh-off-the-boat Chinese people, also live in her neighborhood. Helen identifies with both the ABC and the FOB cultures and struggles with how to identify herself.

Aired October, 2010. Radio Rookie Andrea Lee's parents came here from the Philippines in the 1990s. She is not sure she agrees with at least one decision her parents made - not teaching her their language.

Aired September, 2010. Although 40% of all game players are female, players of hardcore games like Grand Theft Auto are mostly male. That means the games are designed with boys and men in mind. Rookie Reporter Jessica Cernadas finds that very frustrating.

Aired September, 2010. Rookie Reporter Melissa Best has always dreamed of becoming a US diplomat — living abroad and helping people; but then she found out how much work it is to become one. Melissa wonders if she can really live up to her high–achiever persona.

Aired June, 2010. Radio Rookie Hawa Lee reports on the sometimes spooky connection between vampires and teenagers.