Connecting Communities by Emily

Connecting Communities by Emily - April 2022 Scholarship Essay

Chicago Public Schools utilizes an economic tier system to distribute seats at the city’s most selective high schools. During a 7th-grade class discussion, my peers argued that the system was unfair. As residents of a higher economic tier, they were required to get near-perfect points to gain entry. My arm immediately shot up. With all eyes on me, I defended my case: children across income levels should not be held to the same academic standard due to the inequitable distribution of resources like education. That day sparked my desire to help ensure that all children have access to quality education.

When I tested into Walter Payton College Prep, I was grateful for the opportunity to receive a high-quality education alongside equally curious and enthusiastic peers. Eager to give back, I became a tutor at an under-resourced elementary school. When the pandemic shut down in-person tutoring, I joined Connecting Chicago, a student-led nonprofit offering free, virtual tutoring to K-12th grade students. Joining this diverse community of people united by a common purpose - making education more accessible and equitable - was the first step in reaching my goal.

Connecting Chicago only had a handful of tutors, so I recruited my network of friends, neighbors, and former teachers. Later, as recruitment chair, I was forced out of my comfort zone to pitch Connecting Chicago to peers, elementary and high school administrators, and national organizations. Directing a committee and working with our leadership board helped me cultivate executive skills and discover the true ingredients of leadership: collaboration, empathy, and drive. Due to our hard work, Connecting Chicago has helped bridge academic disparities for over 1,250 students.

For more than a year, I have been tutoring a fourth-grader in everything from long division to rhetorical devices. I would never have known the far-reaching effects of my tutoring if not for a blue envelope that I received in the mail. It was a letter from my student’s grandmother, who had single-handedly raised her, explaining that although her granddaughter struggled in school, they had never been able to afford a tutor. She thanked me profusely for my patience and attentiveness. Thinking about her letter fills me with gratitude and reminds me that even a small action can have a tremendous impact.