| The Key That Unlocks The Door: Education
by Manuel Hernández
Education is the key that unlocks the door to a new world
of opportunities here and anywhere in the world. Without education,
humanity merely survives and risks its existence. Yet, the
talk is about war and politics these days. With all the kidnappings,
bombings, and the presidential campaign, education, the key
to the future, has been relegated to the back door of daily
conversation.
When you are born, you do not choose where you will start
out in life. I had the blessing of being born in a legendary
town right across George Washington's Hudson River, Sleepy
Hollow. The positive learning environment imparted by teachers
and the educational community at John Paulding, Pearson and
Winfield L. Morse went beyond all academic expectations. I
was taught to care, open my mind, think for myself, speak
out, stand up for what you believe in and be creative. The
rising factor in an education is motivation, and I was handed
that package at a very early age. But this is not the story
of millions around the world.
What happens when you are brought up in, during or in times
of war and tragedy? How do you evoke or provoke yourself to
grow and care without appropriate role models? When do you
decide to march forth in life and go beyond the negative expectations
of those who surround you? How do you restore faith when there
is disaster, crisis, destruction and adversity knocking at
your door constantly? The best- selling Latino poet, Tato
Laviera, answers these questions and others purposefully in
"Fighting":
ceased to be physical
when I realized my natural
potential for dealing with
institutions on their own
word and logic turf
ceased to be physical when
the power of my uneducated job
prose elicited respect at a job
interview at Livingston college
(first and third stanzas, La Carreta Made a U-Turn, p. 31)
All of our modern day heroes have learned to take these questions
and transform them into keys to unlock the doors of opportunities
in their lives. Motivation does not come easy. It takes purpose,
strength of character and leadership to go deep inside within.
When doors are seemingly closed, others will open. When role
models fail, big brothers and sisters will fulfill their duties.
Bigotry, ignorance and prejudice can only be confronted from
an educational standpoint. The current Secretary of State
of the United States has learned to serve and lead under both
political parties. Mr. Powell comes from a very humble background
in the South Bronx and has used his great determination and
will to demonstrate that no one is excluded from greater doors
of opportunities.
When the reflection in the bedroom window (past experiences)
are not the brightest, the key to salvation may very well
be an education. It will take an encounter within to heal
and restore, but it is possible. With all the talk on war
and terror, education will soon surface to the top, and all
Americans will understand its role to unlock those hard-locked
doors. There will be no need to bring the doors down. They
will open naturally.
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