I am have always had a passion for nature. Thus, I have always felt very strongly for initiatives like conservation, marine science, and ocean related objectives. I believe that the beauty of nature should be protected and a top priority for all those living on Earth.
As a career change educator, I have also found a passion later in life for equal rights to education, and making sure that every child has a safe environment where they can learn, feel seen, and grow into the person they will become. I strive to be that person for as many students as possible, but recognize that every child is unique in their interests and needs. Therefore, I feel strongly that it takes a whole staff to ensure every child feels like they have a champion and mentor rooting for them while at school.
I have chosen to equitable access to education as my high level problem I will aim to solve with my app. This is in alignment with goal 4 of the United Nation's 17 goals.
The impact of education cannot be understated. A high quality education, especially in a child's formative years, it crucial to their success both academically and socioemotionally. On the global scale and even at the local level, access to education is unstandardized and unfair. My core values identified in the last section of this course have helped me to see just how much this cause is ingrained into who I am as a person, it is my hope that my app will help to ensure each child has equal access to an education, their own champion, and a safe place to learn and grow each day.
Initially, my target will be to serve students in underfunded areas who do not have the same access to eduation as peers in more affluent areas.
My app will primarily benefit K-12 students who do not have the same access to quality education as their peers in the same age group due to where they live.
Something as arbitrary as imaginary drawn lines decided by the county completely dictate which school a child will attend based on where they live. This can lead to students having no other choice but to attend wherever they are "zoned" for, as this is where the school busses will bring them. The problem comes when some schools are better funded than others, leading to inequality for students with some getting to attend nicer schools while others don't.
Teachers are often left to work with what they have, making their school's learning environment as productive as possible with what little they have. Students are welcomed to attend school outside their given "zones" but they must arrange their own transportation which can be difficult for working parents.
This leads to frustration from the teachers and parents. While the students may not even realize it, they are not being afforded the same opportuinities as others in their age group from the same county.
Me:Describe for me the day-to-day life at your current school.
Student: Um… okay. So like, a normal day at my school is kinda chaotic. We have a lot of students in each class—sometimes there aren’t enough desks, so people share or sit on the floor. Some of our textbooks are really old, like missing pages or have stuff written in them already. A lot of the technology barely works, so when teachers try to do something on the computers, it takes forever or just doesn’t happen. Teachers try, though. You can tell they care, but they’re stretched thin. Sometimes we don’t have enough supplies, like lab materials or even basic stuff, so lessons get changed or skipped. Lunch is loud and crowded, and after school there aren’t that many clubs or programs compared to other schools I’ve heard about.
Me: Thank you for sharing. How do you feel that your learning has been impacted, if at all?
Student: Yeah, I think funding definitely affects how we learn. It’s not like we can’t learn anything, but it feels harder. Like, when stuff is outdated or broken, it slows everything down. And when classes are really big, it’s harder to get help if you don’t understand something. Also, we don’t always get the same opportunities—like special programs, field trips, or newer classes. It kind of feels like we’re doing the best we can with less, which isn’t really fair.
Me: Ok, last question: Do you think your education would be different if you attended a different school in your district?
Student: I think it would be different if I went to another school in the county. I’ve seen pictures and heard from other kids—some schools have newer buildings, better tech, and more options for classes and activities. I feel like I might have more chances to explore things I’m interested in, like coding or art or science labs that actually have equipment. And maybe teachers would have more time to help each student. It just kinda feels weird that where you live decides so much about your education. Like, it shouldn’t matter that much, but it does.
