Tutoring

 I cleared my throat and sat up straight. In front of me was a wide-eyed, excited girl. I was embarking on a new virtual adventure of tutoring math to a 4th grade student from Detroit schools. As we smiled and introduced ourselves, I caught a glimpse of her classroom: worn-out textbooks and old monitors. I felt a pit in my stomach as I thought about the new technology and supplies in my school district. “Educational disparity”, the phrase popped into my head. I heard of the issue before but now I was witnessing it. I kept thinking- just 25 miles between this young girl, Jada and I seemed to make all the difference. 

I noticed Jada was struggling to grasp the concept of division. After explaining it to her with a resonating analogy, she displayed greater confidence in her abilities and began asking me to teach her more complex math.  Amazed to see such dedication, passion and intellectual curiosity from Jada, I encouraged her to set higher goals and dream beyond the horizon.

While wondering how I could help children like Jada get better education, I learned about Ekal Vidyalaya—an organization that establishes resourceful schools in geographically-isolated areas. Inspired by their clear initiative, I fundraised for Ekal Vidyalaya. Through my efforts of selling hand-crafted badges at school and temple, I raised enough money for a school to run for a year in Bihar, India. A few months later, I received a postcard with pictures of 50 young, vibrant students attending the school and felt a rush of emotions as I contemplated on their futures; they were on the path to living their dream.

As I enter college, I will break barriers so others can obtain educational opportunities they deserve. The road ahead is long but each small action paves the way for more children to chase their dreams. So here I am: a fighter against education disparity.