Berkley Center

I strongly agree that educational opportunity is the key to success in this nation. My parents immigrated to this country from China and Jamaica without formal education. My mother had less than a high school education while my father only had a high school education from Jamaica. Growing up, my family was only able to afford to live in a basement of a century-old home in Brooklyn, New York. Although I agree educational opportunity is the key to success, it should be noted that I think a high quality education is the key, not just any kind of education.

I received a rigorous education in New York as I was enrolled in a magnet program for high achieving students. However, after my father’s passing, my family relocated to Florida where I quickly saw the disparities in the nation’s education system. Due to the rigorous education from New York, I was able to waive multiple classes when I registered for high school in Florida. Furthermore, I attended two different high schools; one that was in a higher-income, mostly Caucasian neighborhood while the other one was in a lower-income, neighborhood attended by mostly racial minorities. I was surprised to see the disparity in quality of teachers and infrastructure, simply based on income. It came as no surprise that the lower-income school had fewer graduates going on to college than its counterpart.

Education is vital to being successful. However, a high quality education is what one needs to truly lift themselves by their bootstraps in this country. People from low socioeconomic backgrounds are often at a disadvantage because they receive a lower level of education simply because of the way we decide to fund public schools. I can honestly say that I would probably not be the first in my family to graduate from college if it was not for the rigorous schooling I received in New York prior to arriving in Florida. Obtaining a college education provides students with critical thinking skills that allow them to succeed in a 21st century economy that requires innovation and creativity. Without such skills, people are stuck in jobs that consist of repetitive tasks, jobs that are often low paying without much room for promotion. Education is not only a necessary tool for success, but also a right that every American should have.