Learning math, science, and English does not constitute a complete high school education. Coming to Choate as a new junior, I was astounded by the brilliance and passion I found in each and every student, but felt that many lacked exposure to the world outside the Choate bubble. We have an amazing community service program and numerous clubs that address international issues. But we cannot begin to change the world without first letting the world change us.
Two summers ago, I went on a month-long trip to Guatemala through a program called “Where There Be Dragons.” It was a life-changing experience. Through rural home stays, backpacking, language lessons, and intense community service, I was able to see the world from perspectives I had never known before. I saved up for years in order to go to Guatemala, and although I don’t regret spending the money on it for an instant, it will be a long time before I am able to do something like that again. And the reality is that the majority of Choate students face the same problem. Even Choate families who are able to afford the full cost of a Choate education find themselves sacrificing numerous summer opportunities as a result. Many students who could afford a summer excursion either don’t know about the opportunities that exist around the world or find themselves overwhelmed by the process and the many programs out there.
One of the students in my program attends Hotchkiss, and she told me that her school had funded her entire trip, as well as international trips for several other students. Since then, I have learned that Taft has a similar grant program as well. Taft has recently begun sending students to different parts of the world, from Bolivia to Tibet, to participate in service programs over the summer. Additionally, Taft has organized student-teacher excursions. Ms. Waterhouse, a new teacher who came to Choate after teaching at Taft, participated in one such excursion, in which students hiked up Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. What if we at Choate organized a similar trip, in which Choate students and teachers would hike for charity and then visit and work with local communities at the base of the mountain? wordy… pare this down Taft and Hotchkiss are not the only schools who support summer opportunities for their students. Phillips Andover is also involved internationally, through a slightly different program. The academy participates in an International Academic Partnership that links Andover to schools in Africa, Asia, and Europe.
I have spoken with a variety of students who love life at Choate, and many find that learning has become dull and fail to see how trigonometry will help in their lives outside of school. What we as youths need to realize is that everything is interconnected, and our schoolwork will impact what we do in the world. Why do you think today’s leaders are focusing so much on the importance of education in developing nations? Imagine what would happen if we used what we were learning in economics and science to actually make a difference in the world. We may not be professionals yet, but we can start applying our knowledge to real life issues.
Community service is an eye-opening experience, which can teach students to appreciate the simple things in life while helping out the global community. Just by going to another country, students are exposed to a world and culture other than their own. Most importantly, service abroad can instill enthusiasm for solving the world’s problems. And the first step is to become enthusiastic for learning.
Enthusiasm for learning comes when schoolwork becomes meaningful and connected to the rest of one’s life. My trip to Guatemala gave me an incentive—no, a desire to learn. After witnessing a small piece of today’s global events first hand, I realized that the best way for me to make a difference in the future would be to master the skills that a school like Choate could teach me.
We are living in an age of globalization, and high schools are just beginning to tap into the global community—to learn from it and to give back to it. I think Choate can do more. As privileged students, we have the responsibility to give back to the community.
Apathy is not at the root of our lack of involvement in the global community; we just aren’t given the opportunity to reach out. Choate has the money, or the people who can find the money, to make something happen. Last summer’s University-of-Pennsylvania-sponsored trip to China left significant impressions on the students who participated, which they conveyed to the rest of the student body in the fall. Let us not make that trip a once in a lifetime experience. Let us open up more amazing opportunities to the rest of the student body.
The Development Office’s main goal is to use the money given to Choate for the greatest possible benefit for the student body. I can think of no better outlet for Choate’s disposable capital. A couple thousand dollars may be a lot of money for a student, but relatively small for a school like Choate. And the value of one journey would far outweigh any of the costs.
Choate is in a unique position. As one of the most distinguished boarding schools in the nation, we have the capacity to provide our students with an experience to which the vast majority of high school students do not have access. We students have the ideas. We have the intelligence. We have the work ethic. We have the passion. All we need is the guidance and means to get involved. Many of today’s leaders emphasize the importance of youth involvement. We are the future; why not start now?
