Building a Future Where Every Student Belongs by Alicia

Building a Future Where Every Student Belongs by Alicia - September 2025 Scholarship Essay

The next ten years are going to bring major changes to education, whether we’re ready or not. Technology will keep evolving, the workforce will keep shifting, and the skills students need will look different than they do today. My hope is that we don’t just react to those changes, but that we shape them intentionally making sure every student, no matter their background, has the resources, representation, and opportunities to succeed.
Education should be more than a steppingstone to a job: it should be a place where students discover their passions, learn how to think critically, and gain the confidence to lead. I want to see a system that doesn’t just prepare students to adapt to the future, but also gives them the tools to shape it.
In the next ten years, I hope education becomes more inclusive, accessible, and connected to real-world opportunities. Too often, the quality of a student’s education depends on their zip code, their family’s income, or whether they have role models who can guide them. I’ve seen this firsthand through my leadership work, my research experiences, and the programs I’ve built to support other students.
My own family’s story is part of why this matters so deeply to me. My mother and grandmother immigrated from the Dominican Republic in 1992 with nothing but faith and determination. My grandmother, who only had a third-grade education and spoke no English, worked long hours cleaning motel rooms so my mother could become the first in our large extended family to attend college. Their sacrifices taught me that education can change the entire trajectory of a family’s future, which is why I believe it should be accessible to every student, regardless of background.
One change I’d like to see is a stronger focus on representation and belonging in schools. Being one of the only Afro-Latina students in my school’s advanced AP courses has taught me how isolating it can feel to be “the only one” in the room. That’s one of the reasons I co-founded LatinXTech Long Island to connect African American and Latino students to STEM opportunities, mentorship, and hands-on experiences. In the future, I hope schools take more intentional steps to ensure that underrepresented students see themselves reflected in their teachers, curriculum, and peers.
I also want education to place a greater emphasis on skills that prepare students for the future workforce, especially as technology and AI change the job market. During my time as a Bank of America Student Leader, I spent eight weeks working at Island Harvest, Long Island’s largest hunger relief nonprofit. I rotated through every department, marketing, development, operations, and logistics, and helped organize workforce pipeline preparation events for community members. That experience showed me how valuable it is when education doesn’t just focus on memorizing facts, but also on teaching problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills that translate directly into careers.
Another change I hope to see is equal access to advanced academic opportunities. Too often, AP classes, research programs, and extracurriculars are more available in wealthier districts. My research at Stony Brook University, where I was the only high school student in my lab, taught me how transformative these opportunities can be. I want more students, especially from underserved communities, to have access to the same kind of real-world learning, whether that’s through partnerships with universities, mentorship programs, or internships.
I also believe education should do a better job of connecting community service with academic learning. I’ve completed over 500 hours of service through organizations like Jack and Jill of America, local shelters, and youth programs. Those experiences didn’t just teach me compassion but also taught me leadership, time management, and the ability to work with people from all walks of life. If service learning was built into every student’s education, it could inspire more young people to become engaged citizens who see themselves as part of a larger community.
Finally, I hope the next decade of education focuses on student voice and leadership. When I was told my school didn’t have the budget for a Latino Student Union, I didn’t just accept it—I found another way to create change by starting LatinXTech. Students have powerful ideas, and schools should give them more space to create clubs, start initiatives, and solve problems they care about. Encouraging this kind of leadership not only benefits the school, but also builds students’ confidence to lead in their future careers.
The next ten years are going to bring major changes to education, whether we’re ready or not. Technology will keep evolving, the workforce will keep shifting, and the skills students need will look different than they do today. My hope is that we don’t just react to those changes, but that we shape them intentionally making sure every student, no matter their background, has the resources, representation, and opportunities to succeed.
Education should be more than a steppingstone to a job: it should be a place where students discover their passions, learn how to think critically, and gain the confidence to lead. I want to see a system that doesn’t just prepare students to adapt to the future, but also gives them the tools to shape it.