Twelve meaningful years have gone by since I first boarded the school bus over a decade ago. Friendships have been made, maturity has been gained and intellectual experiences have been undergone. High school has been a challenging and rewarding experience that has forever shaped the way that I will live my life. However, as this chapter ends, it is now time to stop and consider the next chapter ahead.

Like many graduating high school seniors, I am furthering my education by attending college starting this fall. Throughout high school, I have learned the importance of listening to the voice of the voiceless. That is why I will be majoring in Government and Political Affairs. In today’s era, it is clear that many individuals, for a myriad of reasons, are dissatisfied with the state of affairs. They do not feel that the government acts on their behalf. People have seen an increased level of partisanship that to many seems without precedent. Many individuals simply look to the end result and overlook the process in which that result was or was not achieved.

That is a flawed approach. Through being a Government and Political Affairs major, and earning my undergraduate degree in that field, it is my hope that I will be able to contribute meaningfully to changing that perception. The process that we have in place now focuses far too much on labels such as Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative, yet condemns moderation and compromise. It is essential to remember that before being a member of a political party, we are above all, Americans.

Politicians in both parties care about the future of our country, their intentions are, by a large, proper. Nevertheless, partisan labels and individual ideologies get in the way of substantive progress. In turn, very little often gets done and the concerns of the American people are not addressed. Compromise, often cherished, is not condemned by harsh partisans that seek my way or the high way type results. The fact of the matter is that when we have divided government that simply is not going to realistically happen.

In fact, the framers did not intend for that to happen, that is why we have three separate, and co-equal, branches of government, to prevent any one group from exercising complete power. This was intended to have any change come slowly and deliberately and to have compromise be an essential component along the way. It is my hope that upon graduating from high school and upon attending and graduating from college with my degree, that I can help reverse the phenomena of intense partisanship and help foster a government that works the wellbeing of all.

I recognize that this will not be easy. I have no false illusion that all will necessarily wish to abandon their deeply held positions. However, I am hopeful that perhaps I can change the hearts and minds of some. America is a land of opportunity, a land where people come from all over the world because of our freedoms and ways of life. We should not squander that to advance the partisan agendas of a few. Thus, when I graduate from high school, I want to advance a government that functions effectively for all citizens.