i'm a major proponent of public education.
i've actually decided to devote my life and career to figuring out ways to fix it.
the most effective way i've found thus far to ease the troubles our public education system faces is by working with kids one-on-one. i participate in a mentorship program through my university, and so for the past year i've been mentoring a little girl named monica.
monica attends a school in a very rough area of oakland. the school is surrounded by dilapidated houses and dangerous looking people in the streets. but the school is incredible. the teachers and administrators put so much effort into changing the lives of their students. it inspires me to challenge myself to be better and put forth more of myself to help.
monica is so fun and i absolutely love working with her. she was very shy at first but after a few visits she warmed up to me. in the beginning i would help her with her reading (because english is not her first language) and math, but now she's acing tests and doing incredibly well.
this afternoon, i was swinging on the swingset with monica and she turns to me and says
"jordan, now i wanna go to college!"
that's what it's all about. that's why i devote the hours i do
and that's why i can't stop smiling now.
it only takes a spark.
