More than a Screen by Braelyn

More than a Screen by Braelyn - November 2025 Scholarship Essay

Having the privilege to take a touchscreen chromebook home wasn’t always something I possessed. I remember that back in kindergarten I was quite intrigued by the availability of technology that we had at my elementary school. I went from only being able to use my assigned iPod in class, to having a “cool” chromebook at home. My teacher at the time would train my classmates and I on how to properly take care of our chromebook. Since it was touchscreen and brand new, I took care of that device like it was my baby doll. I know I’m not that old, I mean I’m only a junior in high school, but looking back at the fact that I was able to use an iPod really shows me how much we have advanced in the technology world.

I am aware that certain high schools don’t offer their students access to an electronic device at home. I can’t imagine what I would do if I wasn’t able to use my chromebook outside of school. Apart from using it to complete homework, many students use it as a tool for research. They say that with the level of technology we have today “we have the world at the tip of our fingers”, and I believe this is true. Any question I have that I didn’t ask at school could be answered with a few types on the keyboard.

On the other hand, having the flexibility of using a screen or paper and pencil makes my classroom experience a lot less stressful. For me, writing a whole essay on paper would take much longer than typing it on Google Docs. In this case, being able to use a chromebook helps my efficiency and work completion. Not to mention, that in most of my core classes any project can be in digital form. This comes in handy for a student like me who doesn’t have great drawing or artistic skills. To be honest, there are so many websites online that have helped my success in the classroom. Google Docs is great for taking notes and Canva has pretty templates for projects. Lets also not forget about Gmail, such an app that makes communicating with my teachers much faster than sending a letter with a pigeon. Technology opens endless possibilities for students to go beyond the curriculum in class and expand their learning. Either that or actually catch up on the lesson being taught in class by using resources that will increase their understanding.

Now, there is obviously an elephant in the room. Artificial intelligence can be both beneficial and detrimental to a student’s learning in the classroom. I won’t get into much detail regarding this topic, but I truly believe that if used properly it can beyond help students be successful. The way I see it, if you don’t use AI to plagiarize and instead you make it create you an extensive study guide or practice problems for your upcoming math test, you are doing yourself a favor. Yes, there is a negative and positive side to technology, but it all depends on how much the student is willing to put in the work while being in class.

In short, my whole educational career can basically be found on my school’s email account or the chromebook in which I am currently typing this essay on. Technology is a crucial part of today’s educational system, and for me it is much more than a distraction. It is a tool that makes the time I spend inside a classroom worthwhile.