The Chance for Growth by Leah

The Chance for Growth by Leah - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

The overarching goal of education is to challenge, develop, expand, and enhance the human mind and human experience. Many people are close-minded when it comes to education, thinking it consists only of tests, evaluations, memorization of facts, and as a burden. Viewing it through a different lens, the process of being educated is a privilege. Learning new things gives the human mind a chance to stretch to new dimensions, to grow from previous ideas and understandings to new enlightenment. Education is a gift that is not accessible to every person in the world.

From personal experience, education has reshaped my interests outside of the classroom, leading me to activities surrounding the idea of social justice and engaging with people in my community. My education has allowed me to develop critical thinking skills, the ability to conduct original social science research, and the courage to challenge any idea. I believe education gives people the confidence to tackle new topics, equipped with knowledge and skill sets to be successful.

The real purpose of education is to enhance the individual to be an intelligent, aware, and contributing member of society. As a result of these enhancements, a person is able to understand society and play a role in local and global communities because of this understanding. Society as a whole benefits from educated individuals, and not just those educated in the traditional academic sense, but rather those educated culturally, socially, through travel experiences and life circumstances. True education goes beyond books and facts, although these forms of education often expand and prime the mind to be ready for any situation that provides opportunities for learning.