Ballerina, cop, president - the future dreams of little boys and girls as they enter kindergarten. They want to spin and twirl, fight crime, change the world.
Boring, tough, pointless - the perceptions of many upperclassmen trudging through school. They want to just make it through, survive the day, without getting bullied or failing another test. Education is no longer a way to achieve childhood fantasies, but instead it has become a stumbling block.
A senior at Marion High School always viewed school like the latter.
During the early years of her education, she was bullied. She had no desire to attend school and no childhood dream to fulfill. So she gave up. She often skipped classes and even considered dropping out.
However, this year that perspective changed and she began to care about school. Through the encouragement of a former teacher and a cousin, she has dedicated herself to graduating not just with the minimum requirements but with a core 40 diploma.
She could not have changed her attitude without the motivators in her life.
So be a mentor; tutor a struggling student. Parents, ask your child about their schoolwork. Teachers, encourage the students who are too afraid to ask for help.
It is easy to complain about the youth of America being lazy or lacking ambition, but we cannot give up on them. We are the ones who have to convince them to continue learning.
My 12th-grade friend dreams of going to college to be a mechanic. She wants to open her own shop. Although she regretted her previous apathy, she has not given up on her dream.
And we, as her mentors and teachers, cannot give up on her either.