Ed-YOU-cation: Our Legacy

One Saturday morning, I received a Facebook message from my high school AP English teacher about a possible writing opportunity with a education-conscious company she was working for. I saw it as a great avenue through which I could brush up on my writing skills since I had been a bit rusty after leaving my high school’s writing center. I had also hoped that it would be a wonderful networking experience with other writers from all over the world to discuss ways through which we could lend our voices to cause catalytic change in our global education system.

Looking back, I can say with the utmost confidence that my experience with the EdSurge Independent Cohort program has greatly exceeded my expectations. This program exposed me to driven individuals who took upon themselves to dedicate their time and efforts towards having polemical conversations about the many facets of the education system, both nationally and globally. Similar and differing perspectives on some of education’s controversial issues ultimately encouraged me to immerse myself in the school system. Researching and discussing unfamiliar topics like food justice, the role of the Common Core in the American education system, and educational incentive structures broadened my understanding of the prodigious impact policies have on the lives of students. This could often prove to be a double-edged sword if we are not utilizing these resources and implementing sound policies that not only encourage educational innovation, but also teach the essence of speaking out on issues that have tendencies to influence our way of life.

As future leaders, we owe it to ourselves, our country, and our children to continually build upon the foundation laid by our forefathers in the pursuit of a lasting educational legacy. That is what I have learned in these last twelve weeks. What we can, we must do. What we can’t, we must try.