It’s funny, how easily people find themselves fitting into the mold that society has given them. Although I have found my path with few influencing the choices I make in my life, I still realize that many of my choices have been dictated by the world I grew up in. My mom is a teacher, and my sister used to be one – debatebly influenced by my mother as well. And there is nothing that my parents wouldn’t give up to make sure that my education was complete and thorough. Like them, I’m sure that I will be emphasizing formal education as an important element of any life. Education is the way in my family, and in my world. It’s the key.
But when education isn’t something that parents emphasize, or something that an environment emphasizes, what happens to you? I always knew that edcuation was the path to success, to where I wanted to be, but that’s because everyone around me felt the same way, and their parents were successful because of that education. It was unheard of that any parents didn’t have at least a college degree, if not a graduate degree.
I used to give few excuses to kids who didn’t go forth and pursue the most thorough education that they can muster, but that’s just not fair to judge. The social worker at our school once said that if things were different, one of our students could be going to MIT. I don’t doubt it, and after experiencing this school, there’s no way that anyone can convince me that environment isn’t the primary influence of a person’s development – and outcome. There are so many kids at our school that if put in another situation, they would have graduated next to me. And probably with more going for them.
