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Politics and Activism

Education of the Youth

Maybe we can learn from our children sometimes.

Hunter Jones

Feb 27, 2017

Plains, Pennsylvania

Myra Bridgforth, Counselor

A few days ago I had the privilege of going to Solomon Plains Elementary School and reading to the second grade classes. While for many, it stood as a chance to get out of school and have a free day of doing something fun, regardless of the meaning. However, as soon as I saw the book we were given to read, I immediately saw the opportunity for learning that lied in this for both the kids, and myself.

We read to them a book called "We Shall Overcome", about the struggle for African Americans and all people oppressed by racism around the world, and how they fought, and were inspired, to overcome. We then read "Can You Say Peace?", a story of how to say "peace" all around the world. From there we worked on an art project with them, and then asked each of them what "peace" meant to them. The answers we got remained mostly the same: freedom, no violence, no war, good things, being nice, quiet, etc. But when they got the opportunity to get paper and crayons and draw whatever it is they wanted to, it astonished me and brought a smile to my face.

Some drew churches, general places of worship, others drew homeless shelters and people giving what they have to help others. I saw pictures of rainbows blocking out rain and thunderstorms, them and their friends and families standing together. There were drawings of big "x" marks going through war and violence, and even them creating a peace sign made up of words that described peace. It showed not only that they expressed their true feelings of peace much better through art work and drawing, but also that they have a better understanding of what peace is than many adults in the world today. It stands as a precise image of the power the generations of the future hold, and they hope they can give us.

It is easy to talk of how bad the world is getting, but when you spend just a little time looking to the minds of the youth, to see the truth and wonder in their eyes and see how they work, it gives a refreshing perspective of this earth. We spend so much time concerned about educating our youth, but is it possible we can get some educating from them? -Hunter Jones

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Education of the Youth

Maybe we can learn from our children sometimes.

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No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

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Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

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