There are a myriad of social injustices present throughout the world today that affect the lives of innumerable people. Across the globe, individuals, young and old, experience starvation, poverty, racial discrimination, or gender inequality. Another injustice that occurs every day is unequal access to education. Education is an important contributing factor in a child’s development into a responsible, knowledgeable, and well-rounded human being. However, some children are prevented from fully achieving this ideal person because of this unequal access to education. Although countless education reforms have been enacted, it is still a common unfairness, one that I have personally witnessed. I am from Red Bank, New Jersey, a suburban town near
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In the town of Asbury Park, New Jersey, everything was different. The area is primarily comprised of Black or African American working class families (quickfacts.census.gov). The town had one of worst school systems in the county with one of the lowest graduation rates at 49% and test scores (app.com). It was at this time that I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties, an organization that provides children facing adversity with one-on-one relationships with a mentor. The organization implemented their mentoring program within an Asbury Park charter school, Hope Academy. Mentors were “Bigs” and mentees were …show more content…
My “Little” was a sixth grade girl named Maudeline who lived in Asbury Park. She was shy, quiet, and very intelligent. I spent every Tuesday with her from October 2011 to May 2014, and during that time, I came to learn her goals and dreams. She hoped to graduate high school and college to achieve her ultimate goal of being a pediatrician. In 2014, we both were graduating, Maudeline, from middle school and, me, from high school. While I applied to college, she applied to Trinity Hall, a private preparatory high school. It was a bittersweet moment when she received her acceptance letter because although she was accepted, she was unable to afford the tuition even with the provided financial aid. Although she was allowed this amazing opportunity, Maudeline was incapable of taking advantage of it due to its cost. This situation further demonstrates the unfairness children still experience today, unable to access their desired
In the town of Asbury Park, New Jersey, everything was different. The area is primarily comprised of Black or African American working class families (quickfacts.census.gov). The town had one of worst school systems in the county with one of the lowest graduation rates at 49% and test scores (app.com). It was at this time that I joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties, an organization that provides children facing adversity with one-on-one relationships with a mentor. The organization implemented their mentoring program within an Asbury Park charter school, Hope Academy. Mentors were “Bigs” and mentees were …show more content…
My “Little” was a sixth grade girl named Maudeline who lived in Asbury Park. She was shy, quiet, and very intelligent. I spent every Tuesday with her from October 2011 to May 2014, and during that time, I came to learn her goals and dreams. She hoped to graduate high school and college to achieve her ultimate goal of being a pediatrician. In 2014, we both were graduating, Maudeline, from middle school and, me, from high school. While I applied to college, she applied to Trinity Hall, a private preparatory high school. It was a bittersweet moment when she received her acceptance letter because although she was accepted, she was unable to afford the tuition even with the provided financial aid. Although she was allowed this amazing opportunity, Maudeline was incapable of taking advantage of it due to its cost. This situation further demonstrates the unfairness children still experience today, unable to access their desired