Education Essay Contest Winners!

Over Thanksgiving break, all sixth grade students wrote essays about the value of their education. We then worked to revise and edit the essays before sending them off for judging in a national writing contest. Earlier this week, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a package from the Phi Sigma Pi national essay contest, informing me that TEN(!) of our sixth graders were named semi-finalists in this year’s competition (and are still in the running for the grand prizes).

In reviewing their essays another time, I have been so moved by their words that I would like to share them with you all. Without further ado, listen to the beautiful insight of our students:

Assata Gui’Chard

My mother is always saying education is power. When I think about what she says, I think she means nobody can tell you anything because you are able to make your own decisions on your own. People can’t make up stuff, or lead you in the wrong direction. You can think clearly for yourself. This shows that if education is powerful, then I’m powerful.

Chayla Pettus

An education is not only important, it is critical. Without it you will not be able to do basic things such as getting a job, paying your rent, going to college, and teaching your children how to survive without struggling their entire lives.  Without an education, the cycle of poverty will continue.  It is imperative to get a decent education, always do the right thing, keep your head held high, never drop out of school, and follow your dreams.         

Jeffrey Salazar

Education is important to me because I want to set a good example for my little sister… I don’t want my friends to tell me that my sister is the one on the streets. I want somebody to tell they are proud of my sister for being a lawyer or for being a manager of a big company. That’s what I want. That’s why education is important to me—to set a good example.

Erica Brown

Education can be the foundation to my life… It can change my world and give me inspiration to achieve what I want to be and do when I grow up. It can give me a job in the future and make me even more proud of myself than I am already. Education is and will be important to me forever.

Imani Francis

Education is also important because it’ll help you challenge yourself to do more advanced things. Also, this shows that when you’ll challenge yourself you’ll get your brain working more and you’ll use your critical thinking skill because you’re working hard and when you work hard you learn more things.

Angela Williams

People believe that coming from a bad neighborhood means that those people cannot succeed in education and in life just because they are from a bad neighborhood. I’ve heard, watched, and learned that we all can succeed in education if we try. As a result, it doesn’t matter where you come from, it is how you have succeeded and got to where you are now.

Zariyah Smith-Whiteside

Education is very important because you can be something in life and have lots of great things. When I grow up, I want to be a lawyer. You don’t just go to a law firm and say, “Hey, can I have a job as a lawyer?” You have to earn you want, and that’s why I think education is important.

Eric Davis

Education is like a gateway to live in this world. Things are not going to just happen… You have to make smart choices. You’ve got to live on your own. And, you must be very smart. My dad always said, “Life is not going to be easy; you have to survive in this world because this world will chew you and spit you out.” And that’s the truth.

Ashley Johnson

Many people did not get a good education when they were younger, so now that they are older they do not have the job that they really need. But most people who do have a good education also have a good job now.

Aliyah Dominique

To be successful, I have to have determination. To have determination, I have to have hope. Without determination and hope, I will not get very far in life.