I hope everyone has had an enjoyable labor day! While I have enjoyed the long weekend and am dreading the sound of my alarm tomorrow morning, I am innately grateful for school. Sure, maybe half of the "stuff" we learn at school is pointless. Chances are you won't need to compare and contrast the Safavid and Ottoman empires in your future career, unless you're majoring in world history or international politics or going on Jeopardy. Despite the seemingly infinite facts we learn, the processes of thinking, from analysis to comparison and contrast, that we develop in school are crucial. Furthermore, our classes have immersed us into different fields of studies and introduced me to diverse people.
Those of us living in the United States and other developed nations are blessed with a mandatory education. In impoverished or war-torn areas, education is not readily available for the general populace. Those of us blessed with great living conditions and opportunities to go to school should not merely appreciate the fact. Instead, we should act and raise awareness for others who do not yet have the opportunity. The Darfur Dream Team (www.darfurdreamteam.org) is an incredible organization that partners U.S. schools to refugee camps in Darfur. Through the Darfur Dream Team, U.S. students can understand the importance of education worldwide while helping young children in Darfur attain an education.
I believe that education is a tool that should be available to any individual who has a desire and thirst for learning. As we continue our school year, let's remember the importance of education!
-Willa
