The Strong and Delicate Hands of by Melody

The Strong and Delicate Hands of by Melody - January 2021 Scholarship Essay

I feel immensely blessed to have access to the whimsical and fictitious worlds created by the many outstanding authors of the world. I feel lucky to have taken a Spanish class which allows me to converse with personnel in a Venezuelan airport on my arrival to study violin with the El Sistema music program. Although I freely use the words lucky and blessed, for some, and in many cases for myself as well, access to education is a tool of survival. I often debate with myself, “I could live just as happy a life in my island home as a fisherman or baker who spent little to no days at school.” “What about the opportunity to step into the world of A Wrinkle in Time,” I argue, “or letter writing to a penpal in Japan?” But more importantly, how would I know how to invest the money I make, complete a down payment on furniture for my home, or vote with critical and ethical reasoning? I strongly believe that education is a right. Just as we all have the right to access food, water and rest, so should we have the right to learn how to navigate this ever evolving and complicated world we live in.

Education provides us with the resources that we need to be skillful, knowledgeable and critical thinkers. These are all attributes that society demands from us today in order to both survive and thrive. According to activist, educator, and poet Ella Turenne “‘a disadvantaged group is also a disenfranchised group.’ (Turenne, 2014) Therefore, a lack of access to educational resources creates a high level of vulnerability, which is the reality for many people today. The freedom to live and thrive in this world is a human right. We should never have to struggle to have that which we need to develop our minds and grow our understanding of the things of the world. The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN, 1999) defined Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability as the backbones to equal education. Sadly, today’s reality is a far cry from these standards, and that has real impacts on the livelihood of precious children and adults alike.

In many parts of the world, education is not available to people. According to Compassion, a child-advocacy ministry, more than 7 million people in the world were illiterate and over 100 million lacked basic reading and writing skills, of whom a majority were from third world countries. (Compassion.org) In the US, education is not accessible to a disproportionately large number of black people. UNCF, United Negro College Fund, states that only 45.9% of enrolled black students complete their degree, of that 72% are in debt. Many of these students come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and poor or unsafe communities that present many financial struggles in their lives. (UNCF.org)

Many schools are in disarray, lacking both training and physical resources and therefore unable to provide acceptable education to their students- particularly those with special needs. The article ‘Smart Learning Environments’ reports that even in 2019 many universities failed to keep up with the growing number of individuals with disabilities. Consequently, many or these students dropped out or were unable to even pursue a higher education (Zahn, 2020). The world of education has also failed to adapt in many ways to the needs all people- particularly minority groups. The UN reports that formal education disregarded the cultures, languages and practices of indigenous people, who make up 15 percent of the world’s poorest of people although are only 5 percent of the world’s population. (UN.org)

We must regard these findings with a crucial and thorough analysis of the importance of a good education and how that can help us live life with the fullness of humanity, a basic right due to all of us. Education can become more available, accessible, acceptable, and adaptable to all people, regardless of who they are or where they come from. We must strive to make this a reality.

Upon reflection of my own college experience, I have faced many challenges in navigating the education system. My university; professors and the learning structure alike did not take into account my background and needs as would be most fit for my emotional health and intellectual growth. I was very often exhausted and filled with fear from my day to day experiences. But I have also received countless blessings throughout my time in college. Not only were my beliefs and perceptions challenged, which became a driving factor to think more deeply and acutely at important personal and global matters, but I was also able to see how education in itself was the catalyst to my growth as a person. The United Nations share with us powerful words about education; “The importance of education is not just practical: a well-educated, enlightened and active mind, able to wander freely and widely, is one of the joys and rewards of human existence.” (UN, 1999) Education holds in its strong and delicate hands so much of what we need to thrive. An abundance of fruit to feed our bodies, awaken our minds, and set flame to our hearts.