What Education Means to Me by Kevin

What Education Means to Me by Kevin - October 2022 Scholarship Essay

Knowledge is power. What you learn can never be taken away from you, but while it is yours to keep, it should also be shared with others. Education allows us to fulfill dreams and ambitions, fosters critical thinking and interpersonal skills, and builds confidence. My parents were the first in their families to attend and graduate from college, so from a young age, my brother and I were encouraged to read, ask questions, explore and study.
My grandmother had a high school diploma, but she was knowledgeable about her job. She worked with the same employer for almost 48 years. She would still be working there today had she not gotten sick. When my grandmother passed away in July, it took me some time to cope. If I’m being honest, I’m still dealing with the effects of her no longer being here. She was one of my biggest cheerleaders. It’s going to be tough walking across the stage in May and not hearing her yelling my name. My grandmother always encouraged my brother and I to dream big and assured us that we could accomplish anything we set our minds to. The profound loss of my grandmother has motivated me to work even harder to make her proud. Earning my high school diploma and attaining an undergraduate degree, is something she wished for and encouraged me to pursue.
An education affords more opportunities, reduces crime and can affect overall health. The more you know, the more you can advocate for yourself and others. My grandmother’s doctor ignored her symptoms and concerns. He repeatedly prescribed medication that failed to ease her pain or encourage healing. By the time she took our advice and sought treatment from another doctor, it was too late. My grandmother didn’t trust her own knowledge of her body, health and her intuition that something was wrong over the opinion of someone who attended medical school. While education is important, it does and should not allow anyone to discount the thoughts, feelings and opinions of others. I wonder what would have happened if her doctor had simply admitted that he did not know what was causing her pain and sent her for another opinion. No one person knows everything and asking for help should not be frowned upon, but encouraged. It is possible to learn both inside and outside of a classroom.
Education is important, but I will never use it as a means to cause dissent and division. I will never believe that I know so much that there is nothing else left for me to learn. When you stop learning, you stop growing. My parents and my brother have Master’s Degrees. Right now on the horizon for me, is at least a bachelor’s degree. I’m unsure how far up the education ladder I’d like to climb, but I will continue to learn and work on becoming a better me. I know my grandmother will be cheering me on throughout the process.
The pandemic, vaccine inequity, inflated gas and grocery prices and gun violence, are just a few things that make this world we live in a scary place. Education to me means knowledge, skills, creativity, success, influence and opportunities. It should encourage community and civic engagement and a desire for change that benefits society as a whole and attempts to makes the world a less scary place for not just ourselves, but for future generations.