Educating World Changers by Vitaliy

Educating World Changers by Vitaliy - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

Education holds a value that greatly surpasses the shallow, yet common stereotypes of today’s world. Many people diminish education to a mere stepping stone into a decent job with good pay; often times, education is viewed as a process or phase through which an individual must go, a sort of necessary evil. On the other hand, to some people, education is a standard of value by which they measure individuals. The more education a person receives, the more valuable he or she becomes. In my opinion, education is neither of the two extremes. Education is neither a single chapter of someone’s life nor is it a standard of personal worth. The purpose of education is to teach students how to learn.

Thomas Grey’s famous statement “Ignorance is bliss” is true in relatively few situations, none of which apply to education. Ignorance is poison and education is the remedy. However, education serves a higher purpose than merely to inform. The purpose of education is to develop individuals who are effective and competent in whatever purpose they pursue. The most successful people are not necessarily those who have received the most education, but rather, those who were shaped by it. Education enables students to develop skills that are vital for the rest of their lives. The famous question “Am I ever going to use this in life?” should always be answered with a resounding “yes!” Even though students may never calculate a mathematical function again, evaluation skills gained through algebra will serve them every day of their lives.

We are all students. No matter age, degree, job situation, or environment, we continue learning every single day of our lives. Education continues until the day we die, whether we know it or not, each day is a lesson, and it is up to us to learn from it. School is often times associated with education because it is here that first time learners are taught how to learn. Therefore, education in school, especially elementary age, is pivotal because it not only provides the necessary knowledge, but also molds a pattern for future learning in and outside of educational institutions. Education gives a person the ability to know and impact the world around him.

Life is a constant lesson, and the purpose of education is to nourish the necessary skills in students, that they might be equipped to achieve their goals. Whether academic or not, education paves the way for world changers.