“Education makes you a good person.”
That was the title of Tarris’s poem. Tarris, a fifth-grade scholar at our Orchard STEM program in Cleveland, wrote the poem in response to his coordinators asking: “what does education mean to you?”
The scholars in the group paired up and began writing. A few started drafting song lyrics to beats they found on YouTube. Others wrote individually, determined to find the right words. When it came time to share, several scholars read their reflections aloud.
They spoke of making their families proud, about becoming doctors, teachers, and engineers. One scholar wrote that education “opens doors you didn’t know were there.” Another called it “the key to unlock my future.”
Then Tarris shared his line and it stuck with us.
At Open Doors Academy, we often speak about preparing scholars for high school, college, and careers, but we know they’re also building a sense of who they are and who they want to be.
When a child understands the connection between education and character, it’s because they have mentors that ask them to think, reflect, and speak for themselves.
Watch Tarris read his poem by clicking here.
